Errors In Continuity Special: Soul Eater
by ZeroVX
Summary: Just when the teenage scythe meister and the demon swordsman thought it was safe to read bad fanfics again...rated for language.
1. Story 1: Scandalously Scarlet

For those of you familiar with my other work, this is what I meant by "not in the way you expect".

For those of you who don't…

Essentially, the purpose of this fic is to rip into other, worse fics. I've already started another fic doing the same, titled Errors In Continuity, which you can find in the Soul Eater/Teen Titans crossover section (seriously, how am I the only one who thought of that concept?), or on my profile page. It helps to read that first before you get started on this.

That fic goes after whatever I can find, but this one will focus solely on Soul Eater fanfics. You can help out, and I'll tell you how at the end.

The pairing? Well…just because.

Anyway, away we go!

/

It shouldn't come as a surprise, but Crona absolutely _hated_ being right.

Of course, when one grows up with a monster of a mother, being tortured in multiple ways since birth in order to create a killing machine of pure chaos, one tends to develop a rather pessimistic view on life. When one isn't constantly fighting to hang onto his own fractured psyche.

The point being, even though he'd been having a good time the past couple of weeks, there was always that nagging thought in the back of his head that sooner or later, it'd all come to an end, probably in the worst way possible. He tried to ignore that thought as best as he could, because he most certainly didn't want it to end.

It had just been him and Maka, Maka and him, all the time, every day. Much to Ragnarok's constant chagrin. But Crona couldn't get enough of it. Getting to spend time with the one person he cared about more than anything was pure heaven, no matter what they were doing. Sure, they weren't dates or anything (Crona paled at the idea of actually having to screw up the courage to ask Maka out), but any time with Maka was better than no time at all.

And yet, that thought in the back of his head was right. It did come crashing down in the worst way possible. For what spurred on the time they spent together was one of the worst things either of them had experienced, and now they were in danger of going through it again.

Crona looked up at the twin doors that led into the mysterious theater beyond. It wasn't Crona's first time in this theater, and he knew it wouldn't be his last. He had been asked to go there for the first time via a letter that he received what felt like ages ago. Since then, he had to endure what could only be described as exercises in stress and insanity (Crona never thought he could get crazier, until the second session took place). It was supposed to be entertainment that aired on TV somewhere, though he was never told where, and the funds would go towards expanding. Into other worlds, he was told.

Crona sighed, averting his thoughts from the scope of his task and looking to his left, to see Maka resting her head on one of the twin doors. It wasn't Maka's first time at this theater either, but it was something neither of them would ever forget. The one time she was there with him, and it had been something neither of them would walk away from unscarred. They had to endure a mental shock that shattered their concepts of reality, their own lives, and their place in the grand scheme of things. And that was before they even started.

Granted, what they went through eventually resulted in their increased time together, but it didn't seem worth it, now that Crona thought about it. He'd much rather spend the rest of his life alone again rather than make Maka go through what they went through. And now, here they were, again.

Maka didn't mind that Crona decided to continue going to the theater, and Crona didn't press Maka to come back. Sometimes Crona wondered if that really was his own decision, or whoever was arranging all of this was manipulating him into not asking. After all, she was a "guest star" the one time she appeared, so maybe she wasn't _meant_ to come back again. Crona didn't like to think about that, that someone else was pulling his strings yet again.

What stuck out to Crona was that both he and Maka had got a letter asking them to come back. Which was a bit unusual, especially since it was for a different time than the usual one. Crona couldn't really explain it, but whenever it was supposed to be time for a session, Crona could just…tell. Like some strange animal instinct telling him when it was time to migrate or something. He wasn't getting that feeling now, which only made the situation even more uncomfortable.

"Crona…"

Crona jumped a bit, already dreading what was going to come out of Maka's mouth. _She's going to get mad at me, I just know it. She's not going to want to be here, she won't want to be near me anymore-_

"Why are we here, Crona?"

Crona gulped, Maka not realizing she was starting to confirm his fears. "B-Because we were asked to…"

Maka lifted her head off of the door, turning to face Crona. "I mean, why do we have to listen to this guy? What's stopping us from just walking away now and acting like we didn't come here?"

Crona looked down, having already thought the same thing. In fact, he had tried to walk away once or twice, hoping Maka would follow him. Yet whenever his brain tried to move his legs, his body refused to respond. Soon, he felt compelled to stay, to see this through to the end, even though every other part of his mind wanted to just leave.

"…I don't know…" was all he could give as an answer.

Maka stared at Crona for a few seconds, before sighing and looking down as well. "Yeah…me neither…"

It was becoming clear to them both that they felt the same way. Neither of them particularly _wanted_ to be there, but some part of them felt that they had to be. Like the old saying went: "It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it."

Maka just wished it wasn't them.

"I really, really don't want to be here, Crona…" she muttered. "Not after last time…"

Crona looked up, hands up in defense. "I-I'm sure it won't be that bad!"

Maka looked up as well, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. Crona flushed slightly, looking away.

"Well…nothing that bad…involving us…"

Maka simply turned back to the doors, placing a hand on one of them. "Let's just do this so we can go home…"

Crona nodded slightly, turning and placing his hand on the other door. The two pushed the doors forward, stepping into the theater and heading down the stairs.

Crona looked around at the theater that had become so familiar for him. His mind drifted back to that first day, and the two that he'd met. He remembered that he was told that he never would've met them if he hadn't come, so the antics that went on weren't all bad. He liked to think that he had made a couple of friends, and they certainly treated him as such. Though there was that constant worry that they were just showing pity…

"Hey!" Again, Maka jolted Crona out of his thoughts, as they had reached the bottom of the stairs to find nothing but empty seats. "Where are they?"

Crona frowned, getting more and more suspicious of the situation. Usually he was the first to arrive (save for last time), so it wasn't surprising that no one was there. Or rather, it wouldn't be, except Crona knew it was later in the day than when he usually arrived. This didn't do his mood any favours.

He then noticed Maka staring blankly at the large movie screen, jaw hanging open. Crona looked at the blank white sheet, not seeing anything wrong with it. It was in the exact same position it was last time, hiding the camera that Crona knew firsthand was there. He didn't really see any problem that would cause Maka's reaction.

Then he remembered what happened last time she was there, and it all became clear. "Oh…um…r-right, th-they fixed it while we were gone…"

Maka turned to Crona. "They didn't just fix it, Crona! It was like nothing ever happened to it! I mean…you can't just repair damage like that!"

Crona looked away, already clutching onto his arm. "Y-Yeah…I know…"

Maka blinked, then moved closer to Crona, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. Look at me."

Crona slowly turned his head to face Maka, who gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm not mad at you, Crona. Far from it. Honestly, a little destroyed property is the least that person should've got after what happened. In fact, I'm actually impressed by what you did."

Crona blinked, face flushing slightly. "Y-You…you are?"

Maka grinned. "Yep!" She then held up her thumb and finger a few millimeters apart from each other. "But juuuuuust a little bit. So don't let it get to your head now."

Crona gave a slight laugh as Maka giggled. _God, I love listening to her laugh…_ Crona thought, face flushing more. He then noticed the letter on the table. There was always a letter there, telling them what story they'd have to read and how to prepare.

The difference was that this one was actually addressed to the two of them.

Crona frowned as he picked up the letter. Once again suspicious, he ripped the envelope open, Maka leaning over as they both read.

_I suppose you're wondering why I've called you both here today._

_First, let me start by apologizing to you, Maka Albarn, for what you went through the last time you were here. I don't blame you at all for not wanting to return, but I'm afraid I need your help again. Both of you._

_You may have noticed that you are the only ones here today. I've left the other two out of this as this has nothing to do with the main series. Consider this something of a spinoff, focusing only on stories from your world._

_I know you don't want to have to go through this again, but like it or not, you are the best ones for the job. Going over a story from the perspectives of those from the fandom it's based on will give these writers the kick in the pants that they need. You two are already involved, so you will be the ones to do this._

_However, Maka, I must now give you the same warning I gave to Crona the last time he was here: What happened to you will happen again. I will say no more on the matter until such a time._

_I wish you both the best of luck. Your story today is called Turning Red by one SapphireWaters69._

Crona could tell Maka was already tensing up after they were done reading the letter. He was already familiar with the warning about a repeat of "the event", but the other two were there at the time, meaning it could happen to either one of them. He and Maka had already experienced it.

Which meant that their friends from their world were next.

Maka marched over to one of the seats near the end of the row and sat down, Crona following her and sitting on her right. Maka glared at the screen for a few moments, before turning to look at Crona.

"He makes it sound like we have a choice…" she said. "But…we really don't…do we?"

Crona didn't have an answer. So, instead, he reached over and gently grabbed her gloved hand, giving it a slight, comforting squeeze. Maka returned the gesture, and soon, the two faced forward, and the story began.

/

**Chapter 1**

Crona: No author's notes? That's a first…

Maka: I'm not complaining. We'll be done a lot faster this way.

**I saw her walk in.**

Maka: And here we go with the POV writing again…

**She seemed really nice and she was really pretty too. This was Maka's sister.**

Maka: Whoa whoa, _what_? I do not have a sister! Half-sister, maybe, but definitely not a sister!

Crona: You have a half-sister…?

Maka: Maybe. Probably. You have met my father, after all.

Crona: …point…

**Even though she seemed nice I had trouble handling new people, even though I was getting better at it.**

Maka: …oh _no_.

Crona: …so it's me this time, huh? Great…

**First she went up and hugged Maka. Then she went to Soul, Kid, Black Star, the twins, and Tsubaki since she knew them.**

Crona: Wait, how would I know that? This is supposed to be my first time meeting her. I'd be more likely to wonder who this person was and why she was clinging to my friends.

**Then she came to me.**

**"Hi, my name is Mai. What's yours?" I look at her and then crawl into my corner of the room.**

Maka: OK, he would not just automatically-

Crona: Actually, in her case, I probably would…

Maka: …really?

Crona: W-Well, I just have the feeling I'd notice a Sue if I saw one…and she is most definitely one…

**"I'm sorry, his name is Crona. He is our new student at DWMA." Maka says for me. Maka then comes over to me. "It's okay she is really nice and easy to open up to. She is shy too,**

Maka: Oh yeah, she seemed _real_ shy earlier.

**you two would make friends easily.**

Crona: Based on what? That we're both "shy"? In that case, we'd be more likely to stay away from each other…

**Please talk to her. She may look like she is fine with you being like this towards her but she really is very sad on the inside. She doesn't like people not liking her."**

Maka: Well, her life must suck pretty hard, then.

**She said where only I could hear her. I then walked over to Mai and shook her hand.**

**"Hi, I'm Crona. I'm new at the DWMA. I'd like to be friends, can we try that?" I say.**

Crona: …so should we think up names for our other selves already?

Maka: You can if you like. If my guess is correct, I won't be in this one all that much.

Crona: Lucky…

**She smiles warmly at me. "Yeah, I'd love to try that. Starting now we are officialy friends."**

Crona: I can hardly contain my excitement…

**I smile at that and then we started the welcome home party.**

**I found out later that she was half weapon half meister.**

Maka: Wait, what? How can you be half weapon and half meister? First of all, meister is a _job_. It's not a sub-division of humanity or anything. Second, how can you be "half-weapon"?

Crona: Anime…?

Maka: Oh, you mean the same one that almost killed you off? Yeah, like I'm going to trust that.

Crona: …*blushes*

**She was half Japanese fighting fan.**

Maka: Unless it's one of those bladed fans like Kitana has, I'm not impressed.

**She was kicked out of the DWMA because she was accused of helping a witch but she recently was found innocent.**

Crona: That sounds like an excuse for token angst…

**She turned out to be really nice. By the end of the night we were best friends.**

Crona: …now I feel like I'm betraying my _real_ friends…

Maka: *reaches over, hugs Crona*

**When we were finished with the party I was kind of sad.**

**"Do you want me to walk you home?" She asked me. I shook my head.**

**"It's okay. I'll be fine. See you later I hope." I smiled and we went our seperate ways.**

Crona: Afterwards, I made sure I bought a lock for my door.

**On the way home Eruka popped up in her frog form.**

**"Crona! Medusa has a new task for you," She starts**

Crona: *twitch*

Maka: Crona, it's alright! She's dead!

Crona: I know, I know…I just need a minute…

*Maka hugs Crona again, who takes a deep, calming breath*

Crona: …OK. I'm OK.

Maka: You sure?

Crona: Yeah…let's hurry up and finish this…

**"No. I won't do it." I say looking down.**

**"Oh, Lady Medusa won't be happy. Are you sure, Cro..." She started but was cut off.**

**"Didn't you hear him? He doesn't want to help her so why don't you leave him alone, Kay?" A familiar voice said. I turned around to see Mai.**

Maka: …oh you have got to be kidding me.

**"Mai!" I say excitedly.**

**"Hi Crona." She replies. When Eruka fails to leave, Mai takes out her weapon.**

Crona: I thought she _was_ a weapon…

Maka: Would you really be surprised if she had one too?

Crona: I'd be surprised that someone joined with her to begin with…

**"Hey, hey! Don't go beating me up! I'm only a messanger!" She croaks and starts to hop away.**

Crona: You know…I feel sorry for Eruka, knowing what I know…

Maka: Yeah, she doesn't seem so bad…and we were a bit rough with her when we captured her…

**I look at Mai.**

**"I'm sorry Crona. I know you told me you'd be okay, but I just had this feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'm sorry" Mai says. She starts to cry and looks down.**

Maka: Ugh.

Crona: I agree…

**"No it's okay Mai. I'm glad you did. I wouldn't know how to handle this type os situation. Thank you very much!" I say to her. She continues to cry so I walk to her. I put my arms around her and just hold her there for a while.**

Crona: …and now I feel dirty…

**She finaly looks up at me.**

**"Thank you." She whispers. She then smiles.**

**"Um, I know this is awkward, but um would you just like to stay with me for the night?**

Crona: AGH!

Maka: I swear, if _that's_ what she means, I'm cutting her heart out with a spoon!

**It's getting late and I'd be worried about you if you left by your self to get back home." She looks at me confusidly.**

Maka: Wait…that was him?

Crona: …_AUGH_!

**"You don't have to if you don't want," She outs her finger to my lips.**

**"Shh, I'd love to." She smiles and we head off.**

Crona: Gonna be sick…definitely gonna be sick…

**When we were half way from my home I asked, "Mai, are you okay?" She looked sad for some reason.**

**"It's nothi..." She then fell on the ground.**

Maka: Oh, great, token drama…

**"Mai! Mai, what happened?" "It's nothing, I'm okay. I just got a little dizzy. I'll be fine." She then got up.**

Maka: "And I'll never explain why because the author's too stupid to come up with a reason!"

**"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask frantically.**

**"Could you help me get back to your place?"I knew she just meant to help her walk,but even though I was weak I picked her up and started carrying her. It was actually kind of easy. She was as light as a feather.**

Crona: *groan*

Maka: Considering I just realized where this is going, I don't blame you for feeling the way you do…

**We made it back to my room and I lyed her on the bed.**

Crona: …is it sad that what snaps me out of my sick feeling is a grammar error?

**She had already fallen asleep on the way here. I grabbed one of the pillows of the bed and layed on the floor. I lie there for a while just thinking. I thought about why I was I was put othis planet if the only thing I can do is be a burden? I don't like being a burden but**

**I just can't defend myself without Ragnarok.**

Crona: …no comment.

Maka: …*hugs Crona*

**"Crona, what time is it?" I jump then remember Mai was here.**

**"Umm, I don't know and I don't think there is a clock in here but judging by the sun, I'd guess about 5 or 6 in the morning. Probably closeer to six. Why?" I ask.**

Maka: Huh. That's some pretty cool time-telling powers there, Crona.

**"Well today is a school day isn't it?" She asks.**

**"No today is Sunday. You are really out of it aren't you?" I ask playfully.**

Crona: P-p-p-p-p-p…_PUAGH_!

**"Just a little bit." She giggles. We both laugh a while then everything gets silent.**

**"Mai," She looks up. "Why was I born Mai?" She looks at me then gets up and sits by me.**

**"Because you might change someones life some day. You've already changed mine. You gave me a real friend." She puts her fore head against mine.**

Crona: *shudders*

Maka: I'm about to put my forehead against a wall _very hard_ if this continues…

**"You're special 't let anyone tell you otherwise, kay?" I look down and nod. "Good! Now do you want to come visit my house?" I look up at her and smile. "Okay lets go!"**

Maka: Let's just assume you're going there so you know what to burn to the ground later.

Crona: Y-Yeah…that works…

**She grabs my arm and starts running. "We're almost there!" She says to me.**

**"I'm surprised you don't live with Maka. Why is that?" She stops dead in her tracks the she starts a mixture of laughing and crying.**

**"When I was accused of helping a witch, Maka didn't believe me when I said I didn't. No one believed me. She is trying toget me to move in with her again, but I didn't want to. I have spent some of the best times here."**

Crona: Th-That can't be true! Maka wouldn't just leave someone like that! Especially not someone who's supposedly her sister!

Maka: I dunno…some random stranger claiming to be related to me is actually more suspicious in my eyes…

Crona: …Maka, you're not really helping my case here…

**She explained while walking. She then pointed to a small cottage. "This is my house. It's nothing special." I stood in awe.**

**"It's amazing!" I exclaim.**

Crona: …I bet Maka's apartment is nicer…

**She runs to the door and pops a key in the slot. She then throws the door open. I walk in and stare in awe again. Then I fall to the ground. Something wet hit my face. I start laughing.**

Crona: …why am I laughing when there's something wet in my face? I don't even know what the something wet is! What is wrong with me? …besides the obvious?

**"Keelie! Get off him!" Mai commands. I then see a medium sized ginger dog backing up.**

Maka: Oh. Bleh.

Crona: You don't like dogs, Maka…?

Maka: Eh, not really. Though one would be useful to have around for when Blair gets out of hand…

**"Good Keelie." The dog then runs to Mai ad gives her doggie kisses.**

**"Aww, shes cute." I exclaim.**

**"I know, I got her once I moved because I was lonely.I'm sorry she tackled like that, but it means she likes you."**

Maka: Ugh. I think I'm actually getting diabetes from all the fake sugary sweetness of this fic…

**She smiled. I smile back then she gives me a tour. We then get to a room with a single bed and a dresser. "And finally this is your room."**

**"What?" I say confused. She smiles.**

Crona: …_why are you just standing there_?_ RUN_!

Maka: I am sufficiently creeped out right now…

**" Well your room at the DWMA is just creepy. You shouldn't be living there. If you haven't noticed there is mold growing on the walls in there. While you were sleeping I went ad talked to Shinigami-Sama. He said it was here you are this is where you'll be living from now on. You can go ahead and check the room out, I'm gonna go make breakfast okay?"**

Maka: …you know, I've been wondering, why do you still stay there?

Crona: I dunno…it's just something I'm used to, I guess…

Maka: Well, then I'll just convince Soul to make another key for our apartment and you can start "getting used to that", OK?

Crona: Yeahbuwhayouhuh?

Maka: …I mean to make visiting easier, Crona.

Crona: Oh…right…I-I knew that…*blushes*

**"I can't do this Mai. I don't want to be a burden on you." I say. I felt like I was going to cry.**

Crona: …I don't cry that easily…do I?

Maka: No, you don't. This is just the author's fault for being terrible and using a character.

**"You won't be. I like you Crona, you're really nice nd there is no way you could ever be a burden." She says. She then walks off.**

**I explore the room for a while. I find a closet, a desk, and a half bathroom. I can't believe she was doing this. Why was she being so nice to me?**

Ragnarok: Because she's going to rape you in your sleep, that's why!

Maka: Oh, hey Ragnarok. Haven't seen you in a while.

Ragnarok: I'm getting sick and tired of this shit, flat-chest! I don't care that you two are friends or anything, but you just won't leave us alone! So I'm hiding in Crona until you can give us a break!

Maka: …so, library after this, Crona?

Crona: Mhm.

Ragnarok: _Hate all of you_!

**I soon go downstairs. I smell a sweet aroma.**

**"Crona,hi! I hope you like pancakes! How do you like the room?" I look down and start crying.**

Crona: …excuse me a second…*walks off-screen*

Maka: Crona! Look, we're almost done, and it really isn't-…Crona, where'd you get that block of wood?

Crona: *walks back into frame* Good question…but more importantly…*hits head with block of wood repeatedly*

Maka: …can I have a turn with that?

Crona: *sits down, handing Maka the block* Sure…

Maka: Thank you. *starts hitting head with block*

Crona: They really should just install those trays already…

**"Crona! What's wrong? "Why are you being so nice to me? No ones ever this nice to me? Not even Maka.**

Crona: _That is the worst lie I've ever heard_! Maka is the nicest person I've ever met! You…I don't even know who you are! You're just some weird stalker person and I really don't know how to deal with that!

**Why? I don't know how to deal with this." She rushes over to me. She then wraps her arms around me.**

Crona: And most importantly, _I do not want this random stranger hugging me_!

**"Because I like you Crona. You're the first real friend I've had. All my other friends ditched me when they thought I helped a witch. I really do like you Crona." I look at her and smile. She returns the smile, then I say,**

**"I've never had pancakes. Are they good?" Mai giggles.**

Maka: …she made the pancakes, but she never had them? That's just…dumb. Like, really dumb. So dumb I can't even think of anything clever to say about it.

**"Yes they're very good." We then sit down and have breakfast.**

**"Thank you Mai." I whisper.**

Crona: For mentally scarring me even more than I already am…that's a feat worth mentioning…

**I could end this here.**

Both: YES!

**But I might not.**

Both: NO!

**Review and tell me if I should or not. It is fun reading your reviews I hope you will review! :) ~~~SaphhireWaters69~~~**

Maka: Here's my review: You are the creepiest thing I've ever seen and I had to fight a _pedophile_. I sincerely hope you shrivel up and die, alone, in a sewer. Signed, Maka Albarn.

/

Maka sighed as the story came to an end. Crona had been right, it wasn't as bad as before. Not for her, anyway. She could see herself getting through more of these.

Of course, she was instantly worried when she saw that Crona was out of his seat, shaking while staring at the screen.

"What is _wrong_ with you, lady?" he shouted. "You think you can just invade my life and push my best friend away? That's not endearing or anything, that's disturbing! And why, because you like me or something? Because you have a crush on me?"

Crona's hands were on his head, his face showing an expression of utmost stress. "Why in the world would you? I've killed countless people and taken their souls, all because my psycho mother convinced me to through years and years of torture and mind-warping! I literally have another person inside me, who is a manifestation of my black blood, which, in case you didn't know, _isn't normal_! I have to constantly make sure I don't go crazy and start killing people again, and I have no idea how the world works at all! _I would make a terrible boyfriend_!"

Crona collapsed back in his chair, breathing heavily after the long spiel. He then slowly put his face in his hands, trying to calm himself down.

_And I just realized that I sound like a bad OC…this day just can't get worse…_

He then felt a slight tap on the back of his head. He looked up to see Maka looking at him, a small frown on her face.

"You forgot to mention a few things, Crona."

Crona blinked. "Wh…what?"

Maka's frown slowly turned to a smile. "You forgot to mention that you're kind. That you're gentle. That you honestly care about people. That you don't just use your friends to get what you want."

Maka's smile grew wider as she gently patted Crona's shoulder. "You ask me, those are pretty good boyfriend qualities."

The two stared at one another for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. Then the implications of Maka's words set in. Both faces began to blush furiously, causing the two to look away from one another in panic.

_Did she just say that? Did she actually just say that I have good boyfriend qualities? Does that…what does that mean?_ Crona frantically wondered.

_Idiot idiot IDIOT! Why did you say something like that? You're just making things complicated! Think before you speak, dammit!_ Maka thought, berating herself.

Neither of them moved for a good while, focusing more on what was said and why. Soon enough, Crona got back to his feet.

"U-Um…w-we should g-go…" he stuttered out, face still flushed.

Maka got up as well. "Y-Yeah…library, then?"

Crona nodded, causing Maka to hurry past him and start heading up the stairs. Crona quickly followed her, though he was still focused on what she said. And as they exited the room, he still couldn't get them out of his head.

_She…she was just trying to comfort me…like she always does… …Right?_

/

OK, short to start, but I'm willing to bet I'll find worse soon enough.

So, here's two ways you guys can contribute to this.

One: Suggest a Soul Eater fanfic to review. They have to be especially bad, in any way. Poor grammar, bad spelling, ruining of characters, stupid plots, Mary Sues, etc etc. Leave your suggestion in your review, or send it to me directly.

Two: Fanmail. If you have a question for Maka, Crona, or both of them, ask it in your review or in a direct message to me.

Updates will be sporadic, though, as I do have another fic to work on. Still, any suggestions/questions will be appreciated!

See you around!


	2. Story 2: The Doctor's On First? Part 1

OK, thanks for the reviews and questions, everyone!

This is just going to be a part of the review. Usually when I get longer stories, I split them up into parts in order to make the digestion slightly easier. Key word being "slightly". So I hope you can stick with me through the long haul.

Today's story comes recommended by zorua, so you know who to thank or to blame depending on how this goes. Which also absolves me of any blame. Ha.

Oh, and since I keep forgetting, no, I don't own Soul Eater.

Yoiks! And away!

/

It wasn't very often that Crona came across a nightmare that was new to him. Being as depressively negative as he was, he could usually come up with enough scary thoughts to make his bad dreams seem tame by comparison, to the point that his scenarios were his nightmares.

But the idea of having to back away in fear from _Maka_ of all people was something he'd never considered. Which only made it all the more difficult now that he actually had to do just that.

"N-Now…Maka…" he uttered as he slowly moved away from her. "Th-Think about what you're doing…"

"Oh, I thought long and hard about this, Crona…" Maka replied, slowly stalking towards him, hands raised ready to lunge if he tried to run away. "I know exactly what I'm doing…"

_Why me?_ Crona thought, moving closer and closer to the wall, without even realizing it. _I'm not that bad a person, am I? Well, yeah, I killed a lot of people, hurt my friends more than once, in different ways…actually, I probably deserve this._

Crona stopped once he felt the wall come against his back, his eyes widening with realization. Before he could dodge to the side and make a run for it, however, Maka was already there, standing dangerously close to him, hands on both sides of him, preventing his escape.

He noticed that she was actually looking up at him, and realized he was standing on his tiptoes, in some vain attempt to create some distance between them. She had a fiercely determined look in her eye, and in any other situation, he would love that look. When it was directed at him, here, now, with that plan of hers, however…

"Trust me, Crona…this is for your own good."

_Does anyone ever believe that?_ Crona wondered, before he finally felt what he had been dreading the entire time.

One finger was gently jabbed into his right side, causing him to involuntarily squeak and move away from it. He then felt another finger in his left, which made him repeat the action and move in the opposite direction.

He looked down at Maka, whose determined expression was replaced by a very mischievous smile. He would've found it incredibly attractive if he wasn't so busy being so nervous.

"So…you _are_ ticklish…" she whispered.

Crona gulped. Yep, this was it.

"M-Maka…th-there's no need to do anything like-"

Too late.

Maka's fingers were already at his sides, wiggling back and forth across his clothed skin at random. And for the first time in possibly his entire life, Crona burst out laughing.

He tried to push Maka's hands away from him, but to no avail, as she simply refused to budge. His efforts weren't helped by his involuntary laughter, so he tried to ask Maka to stop. The key term being "tried".

"Eep! No-HA!-Maka! Please! Stop!-Haha! No, I can't-ACK! This isn't-Hee!"

Of course, this only served to further encourage Maka, the smile on her face widening into a full grin. And despite all of Crona's efforts to get away from her wiggling fingers, they always somehow found that one spot that kept Crona laughing as though his life depended on it.

Finally, Maka pulled her hands away, leaving Crona holding his sides, gasping for air while still letting out a laugh or two. He turned to his right, giving Maka the chance to move behind him, smiling all the while.

"Told you I could make you laugh."

Crona glanced back at Maka, wide smile still on his face, speaking between breaths.

"You…you cheated…"

Maka blinked, the mischievous grin returning. "Oh, I _cheated_, did I?"

Crona's smile vanished as he quickly realized his mistake.

"No, wait, Maka-EEP!"

Again, Maka's fingers were dancing along his sides, forcing more laughter out of him. He slowly fell to his knees, leaning forward in an attempt to get away from Maka's fingers.

"No-AH! Maka, I'm-HA!-sorry! Please stop-HEE!-can't breathe! Can't breathe!"

Maka's fingers stopped moving, giving Crona the chance to get the air he needed. He felt Maka's hands slowly pull him up to a sitting position, then felt her arms wrapping around him from behind, pulling him into a Maka Hug™. He let out a happy sigh, then turned to his side so he could return the hug. He rested his head under her chin, and the two simply sat there for a while, enjoying the other's company.

"Feel better?" Maka asked.

"Mhm."

"Sorry if I overdid it…"

"It's OK…I did need that…"

"Well, like they say: "Laughter is the best medicine"."

Crona gently moved his head out from under Maka's so as to get a better look at her face. "I didn't know I was sick…"

Maka grinned, squeezing her arms around him a little. "It's just an expression, you goofball."

The two smiled at one another, before Maka's was replaced by a smaller one, albeit still warm and comforting.

"But seriously though, you looked like something was bothering you. What's on your mind?"

Crona sighed slightly, moving his eyes away from Maka to look around the theater, the events of their last encounter still fresh in his mind.

"This…I was thinking about this…" he answered, leaning a little closer to Maka while doing so. "…I'm worried."

Maka frowned, leaning forward so that her forehead was touching the side of Crona's head. "So am I…"

"It isn't fair…they shouldn't have to get involved in this…I don't want them to get hurt…"

"I don't either…but what can we do?"

Crona frowned, closing his eyes in thought. "…I'm sorry, Maka…"

"Eh?"

"This is my fault…if I hadn't come here, you wouldn't have gotten involved-"

Crona felt Maka pull away slightly, opening his eyes as one of her hands gently turned his head to face hers.

"Don't start that again." she ordered. "I chose to come here, just like you did. This isn't your fault and it isn't mine. So stop that."

Crona blinked, before averting his eyes downward. "But…if I could've just told you from the start-"

"That _definitely_ isn't your fault, and you know it. Don't start taking the blame for what some ultra-powerful TV executive does to our heads."

"…sorry…"

"Don't worry about it, Crona."

Maka then got to her feet, taking one of Crona's hands and helping him to his feet as well. "Now, come on. We got a job to do, after all."

Crona nodded, and the two walked over to their respective seats. Crona picked up the letter on his seat and sitting down, Maka doing the same.

"So I'm getting fanmail now too?" Maka wondered.

"I guess so…"

"You go first, so I know what to do."

Crona nodded, ripping the envelope open and reading the letter.

_What school subject are you best at?_

"I guess anything with writing in it…just so long as I don't get too personal…"

Maka shuddered involuntarily.

_Do you ever draw, or doodle?_

"I tried it once…it was…embarrassing…"

_Do you like your name?_

"…that's a weird question…why wouldn't I like my name? What other name would I prefer?"

Crona then turned to Maka. "What does my name mean, anyway?"

Maka tilted her head in thought. "I think someone said it meant "The Dark One"."

"Oh…" he replied, before turning to look at the letter again. "…well…at least it fits…"

Maka reached over, giving Crona another hug. "For what it's worth, _I_ like your name."

_If only she knew just how much that's worth…_ Crona thought, but instead of saying the same, he simply smiled at Maka before reading again.

_What's you favorite kind of soda?_

"Coke Zero…wait, didn't I already get this question…?"

_Do you like eating out?_

"Well, I haven't really eaten out all that much…"

Maka blinked. "Going out for ice cream does count as eating out, Crona."

"Oh…then yes, I like it a lot."

_What time did you wake up today?_

"…um…"

Maka frowned. "Crona…don't tell me you didn't go to bed last night."

"I…well…er…i-it was Ragnarok's fault!"

That distinctive _splortch_ echoed through the theater as Ragnarok emerged from Crona's body, already in a foul mood.

"Oh don't you blame this on me! It's not _my_ fault you're a sad, paranoid wreck!"

"B-But you were the one telling me about all the bad stuff that could happen in a day!"

"So? I always do that!"

"MAKA CHOP!"

Once Maka's trademark book left Ragnarok's now dented skull, he muttered some foul curse before curling back into Crona's body. Crona shuddered slightly.

"S-Sorry, Maka…"

Maka sighed. "It's fine, Crona, but you really need to tell me when something's bothering you. Especially if it's something Ragnarok put in your head. I don't want you losing sleep over something he said."

Crona simply nodded as Maka opened her envelope. _If I go to sleep, though, then I'll see…no, don't start that. Don't think about it at all. Maybe it won't happen again if I don't focus on it._

_Have you ever cried in a movie?_

"Well, considering I've never been _in_ a movie…but if you're asking if I've cried _at_ a movie, then no, I haven't."

_Do you watch the news?_

"Not really. My busy schedule doesn't leave me much time."

_Is anyone at your house right now?_

"Well, Soul's on a Death Scythe mission right now, so it's just Blair…I hope."

_Do you remember your dreams?_

"Not usually. I can sometimes remember one or two, but only parts of them."

_If only I could be so lucky…_ Crona thought.

_Who do you trust most?_

"Hmm…oh, geez, that's a tough one. I mean, I know so many people, how can I decide which one is the most trustworthy? There's Soul, Kid, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki…"

Maka looked beside her to see Crona staring at her, a very sad look in his eyes, almost as though he was about to start crying. Maka gave him a playful poke on his shoulder.

"I'm just teasing Crona. You know it's you."

Crona blinked, then gave a weary smile in response. "R-Right…I knew that."

_I have to admit, he's pretty good at that puppy-eye look…_ Maka thought.

_What's you favorite color._

"Blue! …I think we missed part of that reference."

With that, Crona got to his feet and walked over to the table, grabbing the envelope on it and opening it.

_I'm glad you two have decided to stick with this, but this is where I stop holding your hands._

_Crona, you're already familiar with this and know just how unbearably long these can get. As such, I want you to help Maka prepare for the long haul, as we have a doozy for you today._

_It's a crossover with Doctor Who called CyberSoul, by felixdark. Hope you don't mind missing sunlight._

Crona sighed as he walked back to his seat and sat down. "That doesn't sound promising at all…"

Maka frowned. "So…I take it this is going to take a while?"

"Yeah…you're probably going to want to make use of the snack table…and something to keep you awake, these are usually really boring too…"

Maka sighed. "Fantastic…"

/

**"Man where is that demon soul?' asked Soul Eater Evans.**

Crona: Does he ever go by his full name…?

Maka: No. In fact, it's actually a pretty sensitive subject for him…

**"Don't worry Soul , we'll find the soul and when we do I Black Star will take him down." shouted Black Star with his finger pointing to himself.**

Maka: Well, that was certainly enthusiastic.

Crona: You should probably get used to it…

**"Liz, Patty shouldn't we found the soul by now since this is your neighborhood?" asked Death the Kid.**

**"Well, I would never have to remember New York if Maka just find the soul with her ability." said Liz.**

**"I told you, guys that I can't detect the soul in this highly populated city." said Maka.**

Maka: I think I can tell the difference between a human soul and a Kishin egg, thank you very much.

**Soul replied,"This is the opposite of cool.**

Crona: There's the token catchphrase…

**We've been out this for..."**

**Rocking, Soul is interrupted by an earthquake in the middle of the city. Any one of them can stand up straight while three green pillars of light shot out of the ground into the sky, nearby them.**

Maka: Why did he need to say that they could stand?

Crona: I think he meant to say "can't"…

**After a minute, the earthquake stopped at the same time as the pillars of light vanished. Everyone but Patty who is laughing on the ground looked in the direction where the pillars of light.**

Crona: See?

Maka: Yeah…I can also see that he made Patty into a giggling goof because he doesn't know how she works as a character…

Crona: That'll probably happen a lot too, if my guess is right…

**Tsubaki started to talk after a period of silence,"What was that?"**

**"I don't know, however I can sense many souls...but their not human or...witches'" said Maka.**

Maka: So it's Kishin eggs. Great, glad we got that sorted out.

**'Then what are they?" asked Soul.**

**"I don't care what they are!" shouted Black Star, "I Black Star will take care of anyone who gets in my way. Come on Tsubaki."**

**Tsubaki, while chasing Black Star who is running towards the direction in where the souls are replied,"Wait Black Star."**

**Everyone else looked at them from a distance with a blank face. Liz ask in a confuse manner, "Should we go after them?"**

**"It can't be helped." Kid said, without moving a muscle.**

Crona: Yeah, he looks willing to go…

**At the abandon toy factory, Black Star looked around the building in his one spot. "Hey come out who ever you are, I Black Star will destroy you because I'm the greatest assassin ever known!" shouted Black Star with his finger held in the air in the single lit light in the factory.**

**"Would you be silent, we don't know what is in here." said Kid.**

Maka: I can't help but notice that the grammar here is a bit…off.

Crona: It's a little too frequent to be a mistake…but it doesn't excuse this from being bad…

Maka: Indeed.

**Footsteps is heard in the shadows in front of them.**

Maka: …Crona, you wouldn't happen to know the name of any famous, now-dead grammar enthusiasts, would you?

Crona: No…why?

Maka: So I know who's rolling over in their graves.

**The footsteps of heavy metal is coming closer to them. Vaguely the ones who making the march of footsteps is visible. Stopped, three human like man**

Maka: What the hell other kind of man is there?

**reveal themselves in the lights wearing heavy suit of clean metal armor cover their entire body. One of them metal men spoke in an expressionless noise, "Identify yourself."**

Maka: A teenage scythe meister wondering why she got out of bed today.

Crona: And a demon swordsman wanting to be anywhere but here.

**Soul being confused asked Maka, "Hey Maka, who are these guys?"**

Maka: Why is he asking me…I mean, her, like she would know?

**Maka, looking at the metal men soul says, "I don't no. All their souls is the same, empty."**

**"The same soul? That can't be right." said Kid with a shocked face.**

Crona: Why do I get the feeling that won't really be explained later?

**The same metal man spoke, "Identity confirmed. All of you or part of the organization DWNA."**

**"How did they know that?" asked Tsubaki.**

Crona: Or that, for that matter.

**"You are identify to be deleted."**

**Then all the metal men spoke at once with their fist pointed towards them, "Delete!"**

**In the future, inside the blue police box know as the TARDIS, the Doctor is trying to get the TARDIS stabilized after escaping from man-eating parasites. Looking at Amy Pond, the Doctor's assistant asked, "So Mrs. Pond, where to next?"**

Crona: I didn't know Amy talked to herself…

Maka: So what's the Doctor's name, anyway?

Crona: Who.

Maka: The Doctor.

Crona: Who.

Maka: The Doctor. The main character of the show.

Crona: I just told you.

Maka: No you didn't! Who is he?

Crona: Yes.

Maka: That doesn't make any-

*both fall into silence as the realization dawns on them*

Maka: …did we just-

Crona: We did…

Maka: …we never speak of this again.

Crona: Agreed.

**Breathing heavily, Amy looked at the Doctor said, "Are you kidding? We got away barley alive**

Crona: That's a fresh level of nightmarish Hell I didn't consider. Live barley.

**and you still want to go somewhere else for us to get into trouble?"**

**"Oh, come-on Amy, wants the fun in stopping after one little distraction?"**

**"You call that a distraction?"**

**"Do you want to go somewhere...or sometime?"**

Maka: "See, because, it's a time machine. See what I did there?"

**After a quick thought, Amy replied, "Well I always wanted to go to..."**

**Amy stopped talking when the TARDIS is rolling around like clothes in a dryer. Both Amy and the Doctor hanged onto the railing, trying not to get beat up inside the TARDIS. At the same time when the TARDIS is going out of control, music is playing very softly inside the TARDIS. After a minute, the TARDIS stopped shaking has well as the music.**

Crona: Um, mister author? You might want to try something called a "pronoun" when you're writing…

**Amy, trying to stand straight looked at the Doctor and asked madly, "What was that?"**

**"I don't know?" replied the Doctor.**

**"What was that song?"**

**"I don't know?" shouted the Doctor who is looking at the monitor. "It seems that TARDIS was pulled into some type of rift between worlds. It the looks of things where near Earth."**

Maka: Ah yes, that oh-so clichéd explanation for a crossover: Rifts between the worlds.

Crona: And sadly, it's the only one that consistently makes sense…

**"What exactly does that mean?" asked Amy with a worried mind.**

**The Doctor, without saying a word began pulling levers and pushing switches to make the TARDIS land on Earth. With four sirens ranged, the TARDIS landed on Earth with a big thump. Running too outside, the Doctor and Amy stood near the TARDIS in an ally of New York City. Amy in amazement said, "This is New York!"**

**With an expressionless face, the Doctor said, "Not quite, look at the moon."**

**Amy turned her head and looked at the cresset moon with its huge smile. "Is that a face, on the moon?"**

**"It is."**

**"Why is there a face on the moon?"**

**"Because Amy...we're in a parallel world."**

Maka: Because that actually answers her question about why there's a face on the moon.

Crona: …why _is_ there a face on our moon? And why does it spit up blood?

Maka: I think our creator is a rather large Tim Burton fan. And as for the blood, I always figured it was gum disease.

Crona: Ew…

**Bang, an explosion is heard nearby the Doctor and Amy.**

Crona: …I think that's the least effective "bang" I've ever heard.

**The Doctor ran towards the explosion while Amy looking behind him. "Come on Amy!" shouted the Doctor.**

**In the factory, the metal man keep on saying "delete" and firing lasers from their wrist. Black Star, dodging and charging, using Tsubaki being a knife swigged Tsubake at the metal men;**

Maka: "Swigged"? What, did Tsubaki turn into a flask or something?

Crona: No, it clearly says "Tsubake". Maybe Tsubaki has a long-lost twin sister that can turn into a drink or something.

Maka: Either way, that brings up a lot of Unfortunate Implications that I don't want to think about…

Crona: …yeah, me either…

**however it only made a scratch on their armor. Maka with Soul as a scythe grabbed one of the metal men with Soul and swigged him at the other metal man Black Star is fighting.**

Maka: And now I-no, wait, _she's_ doing it too!

Crona: I'm guessing everyone became drunks when they learned that they were in a terrible fanfic…

**The two metal man electrocuted each other forcing them to become orb like souls. The last of the metal men is firing at Kid who is unwilling to fire back with Liz and Patty who are guns. "Kid, why are you not fighting back?" demanded Liz.**

**"Look at symmetrical they all are, its work of art." said Kid.**

Maka: And here we go again…

**Liz looking at the emblem of the metal man's chest said, "Look Kid. Their symbol on their chest is an 'E'. Theirs no way they can symmetrical with that symbol."**

**Kid looked at the chest. Frustrated, Kid with his guns pointing at the man shouted, "Your right Liz. How dare they not be perfectly symmetrical with that armor of theirs!"**

Maka: …the sad part is that that was still handled better than the last time.

**Black Star, jumping into the air charging at the metal man facing Kid, screaming, "Yahoo, theirs no way you can't stop the greatest star their ever..."**

**Bang, Kid's fire pierced through the chest of the metal man turning him also into a orb like soul before Black Star could touch him.**

Crona: …fanfic writers shouldn't write if they're bored or aren't interested enough in their work. It shows. It really does.

**Landing on his feet immediately turn towards Kid and shouted, "Hey, don't take the spotlight away from me."**

**"Sorry about that, I couldn't help it."**

**"Hey come on, lets collect these souls and get out of here." said Soul.**

**"Might as well." said Kid.**

**Maka looking at the souls of the metal man realized something that made her shaken. Soul realized Maka is shaking ask, "Hey Maka, whats wrong?"**

**"These souls, their human."**

Maka: …but…didn't you say earlier that they weren't human? What, did you change your mind part way through? Or does the author have short-term memory?

**"Wha...no way." said Black Star.**

**Suddenly, the lights of the factory came on with more metal men is revealed on the second floor line up with their fist pointing towards them.**

**"More of them?" shouted Maka.**

**Outside the front door, Amy and the Doctor peeked inside the factory when the lights came on. Amy saw the Doctor's face of disgust looking at the metal men. Worried, Amy asked, "Doctor, who are they."**

**Quickly turning his head towards Amy said, "Cybermen."**

Maka: …and shouldn't Amy already know what the Cybermen are? Considering they're reoccurring villains through the series, and I _know_ she's encountered them before! Or was that just for us who are reading a Doctor Who fic and don't know what those are? If so, that seems like a pretty small demographic!

**Authors Notes:**

**I only know the new Doctor Who franchise.**

Maka: And now it makes sense.

**I am only familiar with the Funimation Dubbed version of Soul Eater however I do know things that happen later in the Manga.**

**The story takes place before when Amy met the Cybermen and somewhere after the assault at Yaga's Castle.**

Maka: Oh…well, that seems like an odd time period to use.

Crona: …wait, if that's when this takes place, wouldn't that mean… …oh no…

**Disclaimer: I do not own any character names, traits, or settings in this story. This is a nonprofit based story and nothing more.**

Maka: What's the point in mentioning that this is nonprofit? It's a fanfic, it's not like you're going to get this published.

Crona: …there was one.

Maka: And if we just try to pretend that doesn't exist, maybe it'll drop off the face of the Earth.

**"Delete!" cried all the Cybermen.**

**"Stop or this building will be blown up." shouted the Doctor holding the sonic screwdriver in the air, "If you kill anyone here, I'll push this button and this place will be destroyed along with you."**

**All the Meisters looked at the Doctor confused in who he is. Soul, still in the synch mode said, "Ay, who are you?"**

**Amy confused said, "Did that weapon just talk?"**

Maka: I'm actually kind of surprised we haven't got more odd looks and people screaming at us whenever they hear Soul talk while still a scythe.

Crona: …no comment…

**"How would a puny thing like that destroy this place?" asked Black Star.**

**"Indeed, that object does not have the capabilities to delete this location." said one of the Cybermen.**

**"Well true, however it can do this." said the Doctor raising his sonic screwdriver at the lights.**

**The humming sound of the green tip of the sonic screwdriver brightens the lights of the factory to explode. A blue lighting blot soared out of the outlets rushing through all of the Cybermen, immobilizing them. "Run!" shouted the Doctor.**

Maka: Ah, the sonic screwdriver. The classic multipurpose device that can do whatever the plot calls for except for the sake of drama.

Crona: There was quite a bit of sarcasm and disdain in that, Maka…

Maka: I aim to please.

**"No way, we can take them!" yelled Black Star.**

**"Believe me you can't fight them while this will only hold them for a short time, now hurry."**

Maka: Despite the fact that we were doing pretty well against them before you showed up?

Crona: Dramatic convenience, I guess.

Maka: There's an awful lot of focus on convenience in this fics, isn't there?

Crona: Certainly seems that way…

**Everyone followed the Doctor out of the front door. At the mean time, the lighting bolt stopped rushing through one the Cybermen, calling out "Delete!"**

**The laser shot off from the Cyberman is feet away from hitting Maka. Quickly realizing, Soul transform back into human form and jumped into the path of the laser. The laser scraping Soul's chest electrified him forcing him to fall to the ground. "Soul!" shouted Maka.**

Crona: …*head meets tray*

Maka: Oh you have got to be _fucking_ kidding me! Not only do you injure Soul for no apparent reason, but you do it in almost the exact same way he was injured before? Congratulations, author, you've officially made it to the top of my hitlist!

**The Doctor closed the doors behind them and locking the doors with the screwdriver.**

**"Soul." cried Black Star in a calm tone.**

Crona: Isn't that a contradiction in terms…?

**"Doctor get over here." Amy shouted.**

**Rushing, the Doctor ran towards Soul and checks his body with the screwdriver. "He's fine but he needs medical attention immediately."**

**"Then we need to take him to Death City." Kid said.**

**"Death City? Where's that?" asked Amy.**

**"In the Nevada Desert, but I don't we can make it in time." Kid said worrying.**

**The Doctor with a gleeful face, said happily. "Not quite. Amy helps him up and everyone else, follow me that way."**

Maka: And why is the Doctor happy that someone's on the verge of death? Just…seriously, what the fuck?

**Amy helped Maka carrying Soul while they and Kid and Black Star followed the Doctor too the TARDIS. While the Doctor is pulling out the key, Liz confused in how the TARDIS is going to work, asked, "How are we all going to reach Death City with that little blue box?"**

**"It's so small, he he!" Patty shouted laughing.**

Maka: And why is Patty laughing _while someone is on the verge of death_?

Crona: Because the author can't see beyond one or two character traits?

Maka: That's just depressing.

**"Your about to find out." The Doctor said with the doors flying open.**

**Inside, all the Meisters and their weapons are amazed in how huge the TARDIS is in the inside compare to the outside. The Doctor at the control panel getting ready for the TARDIS to take off shouted, "Geronimo!"**

**Shaking, the Doctor pulled a lever and than the TARDIS took off while the siren is going off.**

**"Is this an earthquake?" asked Kid.**

**"Nope, it's just the TARDIS." Amy said.**

**After a few minutes, the TARDIS and the siren stopped. All the weapons turned back into their human form. Patty is lying on the floor rocking back and forth and clapping her hands while laughing.**

Maka: _Will you stop that_?

**Amy puzzled said, "How did you…weren't you weapons?"**

**"One thing at a time Amy." The Doctor said, "right now this kid needs to see a doctor."**

**"But, we didn't move anywhere." Kid said confused.**

**Carrying Soul, the Doctor opens the doors and walked outside in the front of Death Weapons Meister Academy front doors. "Death City? How did we get here so fast?" asked Tsubaki.**

**"Now, where's your hospital?" asked the Doctor.**

**"I'll take Soul to infirmary, Tsubaki get Stein?" Black Star said.**

**"Right." Tsubaki replied.**

**"I'll report to my father about this, Liz, Patty you can go along Maka to the infirmary." Kid said.**

**"I guess I'll tag along with you." Doctor said while pointing at Kid, "I mean being new here and all."**

**"My father won't approve."**

**"I'm sure he can be reason with a cup of tea."**

Crona: …I get what he was trying to say there, but…it's still really confusing.

**Later, Kid, Doctor, and Amy walked passed through hallway of guillotines into the Death Room. Sid the Zombie is already their along with the black body Death and his death scythe Spirit. "Hello Kid, how did the mission go?" Death asked.**

**Kid with a sad look said, "Terrible father, currently Soul is in the inferiority**

Crona: He has my sympathy.

**after being attacked by group of man in metal suits."**

**"That's not good."**

**"This group is still their so they would properly still cause havoc."**

**"That's not good."**

Crona: Oh no, Lord Death's turned into a parrot! Kid will never get over this!

**"Lord Death, you do realize what Kid described sounds like the same group who are causing problems in two other locations?" Sid asked.**

**Surprised, Doctor immediately asked, "Other locations, where?"**

**Spirit pointing his finger at the Doctor asked, "Hey, who are you?"**

**"The Doctor"**

**"Doctor who?"**

Both: *facepalm*

**"Just the Doctor, by the way love the décor of the room Lord Death is it. The blue sky is quite relaxing in this huge room of space. Blues cool."**

Maka: We know the Doctor's a CloudCuckooLander, we don't need you to prove it!

Crona: …that's weird. It should've popped up by now…

Maka: Maybe it just doesn't like me?

Crona: Is that even possible…?

Maka: *hugs Crona* Flattery will get you everywhere.

**"Hey don't ignore me! And besides why are you even here in the first place."**

**"Of course, my mistake. Why am I here again? That's right; I'm here to tell you that those metal men are called Cyberman."**

**"Cyberman?" puzzled Kid, "What do you know about them exactly?"**

**"Well, the Cyberman are machines that we're once human. Their emotionless beings that can only act on rational response. However, their top priority above anything else is to make sure that the entire human race is just like them, metal."**

Maka: Amazing how that explained everything and yet nothing at all.

Crona: I didn't know you were so philosophical…

**"Lord Death, it sounds like these Cyberman need to be eliminated before they cause any further damage." Sid said.**

Crona: Captain Obvious strikes again!

**Humming, Death thought about what the DWMA should do. Slamming his fists, Death shouted, "I got it. Kid take Black Star with you to British Columbia, Canada to eliminate the Cyberman."**

**"Right." Replied Kid.**

Maka: Why British Columbia?

Crona: *shrugs*

**"Spirit, contact Stein and Marie and tell them to fight the Cyberman down in Panama."**

**"Excuse me; I think I join those two down to Panama as well." Doctor said, "I heard it's quite sunny down there this time of the year."**

**"Okay!" Death said happily.**

**"Are you sure Lord Death?" Spirit asked.**

**"Of course, he might come in handy. Now class dismissed.**

Maka: But you're not even-…oh, forget it.

**Everyone can leave except you Sid."**

**After a moment, only Death and Sid are alone in the Death Room. "Sid the reason why I asked you to stay behind it's because I have a mission for you."**

**Meanwhile outside of the Death Room, Amy and the Doctor walked down the hall where Amy started to talk, "So can't wait till we get to Panama. By the way why didn't you tell me about the Cyberman?"**

Maka: A good question! Doctor, your response?

**The Doctor interrupted Amy to say, "No Amy you're staying here."**

Maka: Oooh, sorry, but changing the subject and stereotypically telling your companion to stay behind to protect them was not the answer we were looking for! Please try again next time!

**"That didn't stop me or you before."**

**"You don't understand Amy, the technology or magic that was used to send us to other dimension is quite threatening. Actually I don't think we're even in a different dimension."**

Crona: …wait, what?

**"What are you talking about Doctor?"**

**"See Amy the TARDIS can only time travel in our dimension, meaning that if we're in different universe the TARDIS wouldn't have any power."**

**"So what does that even mean?"**

**Being silent, the Doctor pulled out a pen and gave it Amy and say, "Hold onto this, don't lose it, and I repeat don't lose this."**

Crona: …another lack of an explanation. I don't like where this is going.

**The Doctor walked off leaving Amy alone in the hall. While at an unknown location in the house of Medusa, Eruka along with Medusa discuss what Medusa wants to do next. "Medusa, the Cyberman arrived according to the plan." Eruka said.**

**"Good, it looks like your idea in how to destroy Death City is working quite nicely." Medusa said smiling at a cracked wall radiating light.**

Crona: *twitches*

Maka: Crona-

Crona: It's fine…she's bound to appear as the villain in these things…I'll have to get used to her sooner or later…

**Authors Notes:**

**Sorry if this chapter took me forever to do, I was busy with other stuff.**

Maka: All things that must be more important than this. Hint, hint.

**I don't have great grammar, I try to fix all my grammar mistakes if I see them.**

Crona: So he has poor reading comprehension skills too. Great…

**"Is Stein ever going to show up?" Black Star said impatiently angry, "Those Cyber-heads are going to pay what they did to Soul."**

**Black Star, Kid, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and the Doctor wait outside of the TARDIS for Stein to show up. Replied, Kid calmly said, "Calm yourself Black Star. I know how you feel but you shouldn't lose yourself to the madness. Just focus on something else to ease yourself."**

Crona: I thought Kid and Black*Star didn't experience the madness at this point…

Maka: I don't think he was speaking literally. Though, in our case, there's obvious confusion there…

**"He's right lets focus on something else, like is this town always this busy?" The Doctor asked.**

**Black Star then talked in cheerful mood, "It is noisy, you just get used to it after awhile."**

Crona: …huh?

Maka: Not worth it, Crona.

**Stein and his weapon Marie appeared and walked towards the group. Realizing they came, Black Star said, "You're late, what took you so long?"**

**"Sorry about that, Lord Death wanted to discuss a few things with me about this assignment." Stein replied, "And you must be the Doctor."**

**The Doctor replied, "Yes I am, and you two are…"**

**"Oh sorry we haven't introduced ourselves, I'm Marie and this is Franken Stein." Marie said.**

**Responded quickly, Doctor said, "Wait a minute, Franken Stein and Marie? Marie…Mary Shelley, Stein…Frankenstein."**

Maka: …thank you for pointing out something just about everyone else already figured out.

Crona: Wait…if Professor Marie is supposed to be Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein…and if Professor Marie is romantically interested in Professor Stein…

Maka: …that raises so many questions about Mary Shelley and what our creator thinks of her.

Crona: Too many…

**"What are you mumbling about?" asked Liz.**

**"Oh nothing, so Dr. Stein if you don't mind but I think we should take the TARDIS, it'll be a lot quicker."**

**"That's fine." Stein said, "Okay listen students, our assignment is to find the Cybermen and eliminate them before they cause any trouble in the general populous."**

**"Right!" shouted all the Meisters and the weapons.**

**"With that said shall we go now?" said the Doctor.**

**On the balcony overlooking everyone, Maka witness the TARDIS disappearing with the Doctor, Stein, and Marie in it while the others ran off to the North to fight the Cybermen.**

Maka: Hey, wait a minute! Why aren't I going? Sure, Soul's injured and all, but I can still help!

**Amy walked next to Maka who stayed there even when everyone left minutes ago. Amy spoke, "So I don't think we introduce each other. Names Amy, what's yours?"**

**In low voice, Maka said, "Maka."**

**"So Maka, how's that guy doing?"**

**"He's fine in fact he be walking around this afternoon."**

**"So what's the problem?**

**"It's my fault that he almost died, again."**

Crona: …*head hits tray*

Maka: Oh, of course! Because I have to stick around to repeat the guilt trip I went through the last time this happened! I mean, it's not like this is for the sake of drama and drama alone or anything! That would just be _fucking stupid_!

**"Hay, don't beat yourself up like this. If a guy is willing to die for you than he's a type of guy you want to have around."**

**"Like you and that other guy."**

**"Is that supposed to mean something?"**

**"I saw your two's souls, their compatible with each other."**

Crona: …please tell me this person doesn't ship Doctor and Amy…

Maka: That opens up a whole other can of worms that I do not want to touch even if I was wearing a HAZMAT suit.

**"Wait, you can see our souls?"**

**"Yeah, it's strange though that his soul seems to be really old but at the same time it seems to be a very young soul as well. I've never seen anything like it."**

**"Yeah, the Doctor is a strange one. But enough about us, I'm here to cheer you up so do you mind telling me how you two met."**

**"Well he didn't like me the first time we met. When I asked him if he wanted to be my weapon Soul played the piano saying 'this is who I am' and since then we became partners."**

**"He played the piano huh. What song did he play?"**

**"I don't recall but it was a depressing song."**

**"Oh. Well…that's something new to me."**

Maka: …why do I sound so stupid…?

Crona: It's not you, remember? It's…should we come up with a name for her?

Maka: I would, except it would fit everyone else in this fic: Blandy McStupid.

Crona: I find it oddly charming…

**After a minute Amy talked again,"Hey lets visit Soul, I'm sure he needs company when he wakes up."**

**"Sure."**

**Both Amy and Maka walked back inside the DWMA while at same time in Panama, the Doctor, Stein, and Marie are spying on the Cybermen by hiding behind some trees from a distance. Looking through binoculars, the Doctor noticed that the Cybermen are bringing tons of parts in a pile in the middle of the jungle. Turning towards Stein, the Doctor said, "Okay here's the plan, I'm going down there and talk to the Cybermen to figure out what they're doing. While you two will go stay out of sight until you guys save me from being incinerated, or worse."**

**"Well I have objections with that idea." Stein replied.**

**"I have no problems but I do have a question for you Doctor." Marie said.**

**Looking at Marie, the Doctor said, "What would that be?"**

**"Why do you have a plunger?"**

**Looking at plunger in his hand, the Doctor replied, "Oh, I thought it might come in handy."**

Both: ...

Maka: Let's just roll with it, we'll be done sooner.

Crona: Agreed.

**Being silent, Marie looked at the Doctor with a disapproval face on her. The Doctor, without saying anything began to walk towards the Cybermen with the plunger. Marie sign before she said, "Men, why even the weird looking ones are weird?"**

Maka: Didn't you answer your own question there? Actually…what'd you even ask?

**"I can't answer that Marie but that guy is a fascinating one." Stein said.**

**Stein thinking to himself, "Indeed he is a fascinating one. His soul is old but yet young. Dissecting him, figuring out how that works will be fascinating."**

**Marie seeing Steins smile of madness asked in worry, "Are you alright Stein?"**

**"Yes, I'm fine." Stein said with a depressed face.**

**In thought, Stein said, "I don't know how much longer I can stay sane with the Kishin's madness affecting me."**

Crona: I thought that was normal for Professor Stein…

Maka: And I thought he was over his mad fit. Wasn't Professor Marie supposed to neutralize that?

Crona: Plot convenience?

Maka: Seems so.

**Stein than turned his attention towards the Doctor, who started to speak with Cybermen. Both Marie and Stein can't hear what they are saying since they are to far away from them. During the conversation, the Doctor is the first once to spoke with the plunger pointing at them, "All right Cybermen, now you are going to answer my questions or I'll use this device to destroy you."**

**"Identify yourself." One of the Cybermen called.**

**"I'm the Doctor and you know full ware what I'm capable of. Now, tell me why are you here where you could be assimilating other humans?"**

**"Our prime objective is to delete Death City."**

**"How do you know about Death City? You never bend to this world before."**

**"It is our prime objective declared by our alley."**

Maka: They have an alley? That sounds…classy.

Crona: And I thought the Doctor said that they weren't in an alternate world. Or did the fact that he didn't actually explain anything mean that we're just going to ignore that?

Maka: We probably should anyway.

**"What alley?"**

**Just then a green wall appeared, separating the Doctor and the Cybermen. The Doctor pulled out the screwdriver and scans the green wall that is a part of a huge green box enclosing the Cybermen inside. Swiftly, a creature attacks the Doctor from above. The Doctor blocked the attack with the plunger in its mouth. The creature's strength overwhelms the Doctors greatly that it pushed the Doctor onto his back, flat on the ground. Raising its hand into the air, the creature is about to tear the Doctor in halve. Before it could swing, Stein charge in and swigged Marie, who is a hammer, at the creature's faces, pushing him to crash into the green box. "Thank you, Stein." The Doctor said while getting back up to his feet, "I told you that this plunger might come in handy."**

Crona: How does he do that…?

Maka: He's a Time Lord and the protagonist. Things just fall into place for him.

**The Doctor tossed the plunger into the jungle than turn towards the creature and asked, "Okay, who are you?"**

**"He's the werewolf, Free." Stein answered still prepared to attack, "He works for the Witch Medusa. I guess I'm not surprised that Medusa is involved with this in some way."**

**"If you know him than do you know what that green thing is?"**

**"Yes, that's the spell Independent Cube, a spell where it can send you to another dimension. Nothing gets in or out."**

Crona: Yeah, pretty sure that's not an actual spell…not as far as I know, anyway…

**Seeing that Free is getting back up, Stein said, "Since he's immortal, I have to attack before he can get back up."**

**Stopping Stein, the Doctor said, "Wait. I have a few questions I want to ask him."**

**The Doctor walked towards Free to asked, "So how are you able send objects through dimensions?"**

**Everyone is puzzled in what the means. "See, you can send things to your own dimension but you don't have the power to move systems through space nor does the Cybermen have the technology to do it either, so how?" the Doctor yelled.**

**Stood up, Free said, "Man I don't know, the only thing I know is a cracked wall told us what to do."**

**"A cracked wall?" The Doctor said surprisingly.**

**With his hands on his head, Free shouted, "Oh man, I said to much, didn't I?"**

Crona: …is it sad that I identify the most with Free right now?

Maka: You mean in the sense that he appears to be as lost as we are?

Crona: That'd be it.

Maka: No, that's not even remotely sad.

**The Doctor whispered, "Stein, I think it's about time for a tactical retreat."**

**"Agreed." Stein replied.**

**Stein slammed the hammer on the ground to causing an earthquake for Free to fall into crumbling earth. After a few minutes, Free stood back up realizing that everyone escaped. "Man this is bad. However my job was to protect these guys so I shouldn't chase them." Free said to himself out loud.**

**In the forest running, Stein asked, "So Doctor, it seems that you know what Free was talking about, like to fill me in?"**

**The Doctor replied, "The end."**

Both: Yay!

**Author's Notes:**

**This chapter went rather quickly compare to my other one.**

Crona: I'd ask if the rest will be the same, but I doubt I'd like the answer…

**South America, the former location of Arachnophobia's main base, Sid with his weapon Nygus has infiltrated Baba Yaga's Castle. It is easy for them to enter since the castle is abandon ever since the DWMA attacked and killed their leader, Archane. While walking through the dark halls, Sid remembers his conversation he had with Death about his assignment. "Sid the reason why I asked you to stay behind it's because I have a mission for you." Death said, "I've received word from our South American division that the Witch Medusa is heading towards Baba Yaga's Castle."**

**"Why is Medusa returning their?" asked Sid.**

**"Well we believe that she is after the Madness Manipulation Machine. After all, that device was left alone after the defeat of the Witch Archane. Your assignment Sid is to locate and retrieve the machine before Medusa does."**

Maka: Well, it's nice to know _someone_ is using discarded plot threads.

**Sid now focusing on the mission; found the tall and thin Madness Manipulation Machine located in a huge abandon room. While in knife mode, Nygus said, "So that's the Madness Manipulation Machine. It's different from what I expected."**

**Sid, looking down sees a black orb bouncing towards him. Recognizing the orb, Sid jumped away from the orb before it exploded right in front of him. "I'm impressed that you avoid my tadpole bomb." Eruka shouted from above.**

Crona: Eruka's not going to be even remotely sympathetic, is she…?

Maka: From the paragraph or two we'll probably see of her, I'm guessing no.

Crona: …poor Eruka…

Maka: Yeah…

**"So you're the Witch Eruka, the one who attempted to kill me again when I was in Medusa's house." Sid said.**

**"So you're the one I was trying to blow up back then, rib it."**

Maka: *facepalm* You can't even spell "ribbit" right? What, did you skip _kindergarten_?

**"You know, I was once a man who did not have any grudges against anyone." Sid said while pulling out his knife, "But I'm a different man now."**

Maka: "One who is hideously out of character!"

**At the same time, in the cold, isolated Rocky Mountains of British Colombia, Canada; Kid and Black Star along with their weapons walked through the deep snow, high up in the mountains. Tsubaki shivering said, "I didn't know it could be this cold in the mountains."**

Maka: What'd you expect, that it'd be like a day at a Canadian beach?

Crona: …they have beaches in Canada?

*SELF-DEPRECIATIVE HUMOUR AWAY!*

Both: WAH!

**"Really, I haven't notice." Black Star replied.**

**"Tsubaki, if you think this is cold, try going to the Himalayas; that was quite cold there." Kid said.**

**Being down, Liz said, "Don't remind me. I got sick for a month after our trip there."**

**"All done!" Shouted Patty, laughing.**

**Both Kid and Liz turn towards to see that see made a snowman. In anger, Kid shouted, "What are you doing Patty! This arm is higher and taller than the other one and look the eyes are not even at the same level."**

**Kid ranting, moved and rearranged the parts of the snowman. "They're now, perfect." Kid said gleefully.**

Maka: Oh brother…

**The snowman is now perfectly symmetrical without a single hint being unbalanced. Black Star, not caring what Kid was doing, sees someone approaching them from around the corner. After a moment, Black Star got a good look at the person; he said in a low voice, "It's you."**

**Hearing that, Kid quickly turned around to see a person with three arms with each one holding a black sword. "Crona." Black Star said.**

Maka: …*facepalm*

Crona: Like I thought…this is gonna hurt…

**"Oh, it's you again." Crona said in an emotionless voice.**

**"Why are you here?"**

**"Lady Medusa wanted me to kill anyone who isn't a guy in armor. Why are you here?"**

Crona: *winces* Yeah, definitely hurting…

**"To kill those guys in armor for what they did to Soul!" yelled Black Star.**

**"Well, since you're not a guy in armor…" Crona said while raising one of the weapons into the air, "Screech Alpha!"**

**Crona swigged its sword downward to the ground to release a black demon looking boat too charge at Black Star. Missing by a hair, Black Star jumped into the air and land on a pointed pillar. "And also…I'm here to bring you back to Maka!"**

**"Who is this 'Maka'?" Crona said in confusion, "Why should I return to a person I don't even know?"**

Crona: *head hits tray*

**Crona again attacked Black Star using Screech Alpha and again Black Star evaded the attack by jumping behind Crona. "Crona's condition is worse than I originally thought." Said Kid, "Liz, Patty."**

**"Right!" shouted both Liz and Patty who turn into silver guns for Kid.**

**Closing his eyes, Black Star said, "Why should you return to a person you don't even know? It's because you hurt my friend and I don't allow anyone to hurt my friends. And it they ever get hurt, I fix their wounds. That's why you can come willowing or just drag you back!"**

**"Ah, kill, kill, I don't know how to handle a person who fixes wounds!" Crona screamed.**

Crona: *hits head repeatedly against tray*

Maka: Crona, please…

Crona: It's OK…it doesn't hurt as bad as this…

**In thought, Kid said, "Damn, this isn't good. The last time I fought against the Demon Sword I didn't do any damage, not even a scratch on the Black Blood. Worse, Crona as improved quite a deal since that time, my best chance is to resonate with Liz and Patty to use Death Canon."**

**Out loud, Kid demanded, "Liz, Patty…resonate!"**

**"Right." Shouted both Liz and Patty.**

**All three of them shouted, "Soul Resonate!"**

**Silence, Kid just stood there, with his arms open outward in the wind. After a moment, confused, Crona asked, "Was their something supposed to happen?"**

Crona: *looks up* Wait, what?

Maka: What he said!

**Liz in shocked shouted, "Kid, we can't resonate!"**

**"What?" puzzled Kid, while looking down at the guns.**

**Crona immediately attacks Kid with Screech Alpha. Quickly, Kid rolled out of the way from Screech Alpha. Without hesitating, Black Star charged at Crona's backside, throwing a punch however it is blocked by one the Demon Swords. Black Star quickly jumped backwards before one of the other Demon Swords could hit him. While in the air, Black Star shouted, "Tsubaki, Uncanny Sword mode!"**

**Tsubaki nodded than turn into a long, black sword for Black Star to wield. While watching Crona and Black Star fighting, Kid thought to himself, "How come we couldn't resonate with each other, it doesn't make any sense. Actually come to think of it Black Star seems to be a slower than usual. What's going on here?"**

Maka: Once again, a very good question. One that will either have a bad explanation or no explanation at all.

Crona: I hate lose-lose scenarios…

Maka: Don't we all?

**Kid with a frustrated yet angry face, hears a familiar calm voice behind him, calling to him, "Don't look so down Kid."**

**Immediately, Kid turn his face towards the person who called out to him. It's Soul who is wearing a black suit, the same one he wears when he talks to the Little Demon in the Black Blood. "Just smile Kid. And don't worry; your dad will be alright."**

**Kid, still in shocked asked angrily, "Wait did something happen to my father?"**

**"Kid, who are talking to?" asked Liz.**

**"What are you talking about, I'm talking to…?"**

**Kid looked again where Soul was, however he disappeared without any trace.**

Maka: …hi, apparently we just took a left turn at Albuquerque, and wound up in WHAT-THE-FUCK-Ville!

(in the depths of space, a certain pirate feels an immense swelling of pride, though he can't tell why)

**In thought Kid said, "Soul was just here but he can't be, since he's at the DWMA. Everything here doesn't make any sense and what did Soul mean that 'your dad will be alright'. Something tells me that the Doctor as more of an idea what's going on than he's letting off."**

**Crona blocked an other one of Black Star's attacks from the Uncanny Sword. Tsubaki, worried asked, "Crona, why are protecting the Cybermen?"**

**After a moment, Crona replied, "So the cracked wall isn't angry and when the cracked wall is angry than Lady Medusa is angry and when Lady Medusa is angry then she will punish me."**

Crona: …*starts hitting head against tray again*

Maka: Crona-

Crona: Maka, please…just let me get this out of my system…

**"Cracked wall?" puzzled Tsubaki.**

**At the House of Medusa, Eruka as returned from her mission in South America. "Well Eruka did you get it?" asked Medusa standing in front of Eruka.**

**"It wasn't easy but I did, the Madness Manipulation Machine is now in your procession." said Eruka, holding out the long dish like machine.**

**Medusa smiled and said, "Thank you, Eruka."**

Maka: Isn't this usually the part where Eruka asks to be set free and Medusa tells her no? Are we just going to ignore that?

Crona: I guess Eruka doesn't matter as much to the author…

Maka: Again, poor Eruka.

**Medusa's crystal ball that's behind her radiated light. The picture on the ball is one the Cybermen. The Cyberman said, "This is Station Two, we are now operational."**

**"Than that's all of them. Cybermen, begin the operation."**

**The picture vanished, Medusa walked out of the house with the Madness Manipulation Machine and said to Eruka, "Now excuse me Eruka, I have somewhere to be."**

Maka: Unless it's a tall cliff for you to jump off of, I won't be satisfied.

**Back in the mountains, Black Star and Kid prepare to strike Crona. Before they could, a huge tremor suddenly occurred knocking everyone to their knees. "An other earthquake?" shouted Tsubaki.**

**"Oh, that green thing sure is pretty." said Patty.**

Maka: *groan*

**Everyone looked at the sky to witness a huge tall green pillar shooting out from the ground. "Isn't that the same thing we saw back in New York?" asked Liz.**

**The green pillar started to expand outward very quickly. Moving so fast that it will reach them in a few minutes and they can't outrun it. Noticing, Kid looks down at the bottom of an other mountain. Kid sees a huge light radiating from it, a cracked smile.**

Maka: …did you catch any of that?

Crona: My head's hurting a bit right now, so, no, not really…

**Authors notes:**

**I wanted a chapter with the Soul Eater cast only.**

Maka: Gee, we feel so appreciative…

Crona: We're the luckiest people around…

**You might need to know the manga to understand a few things in this chapter.**

Maka: Why? You clearly don't.

**In all seriousness, what did they do with the Madness Manipulation Machine?**

Maka: It's always a sad day when terrible fanfiction writers start making decent points.

Crona: Wouldn't saying "Strawman Has A Point" be appropriate here?

Maka: Why bother when it won't be acknowledged by…whatever the hell usually acknowledges those things?

/

So yeah, next part is coming soon. If you have questions or recommendations, you should probably save them for when the rest is up.

Also, Happy Canada Day, my fellow Canucklers. Keep lying about our culture and living conditions to our American neighbors, it's just so much fun.

See you soon!


	3. Story 2: The Doctor's On First? Part 2

Alright, let's not waste any more time and get to it. Hopefully I won't need to make a third part, but we'll see.

I still don't own Soul Eater.

Mobilize!

/

**"Wha…what happen?" shouted Black Star; along with Kid, Liz, Patty, and Tsubaki is somehow inside the TARDIS.**

Maka: …no. I'm not doing it. I know the set-up is perfect, but there is no way I'm doing that joke. Absolutely not. That's so far beyond out of style that it's gone past being retro and is just tacky.

**"We saw you down in the mountains." Marie said, "Stein pulled you guys in while we're riding by."**

**"Which reminds me Doctor, you're a terrible driver." Stein said while fixing his glasses.**

Maka: And a terrible character, and a terrible plot device, and…hell, you're just flat out terrible.

**"I got us here, didn't I?" said the Doctor.**

**"First I thank you from saving us from the light but I have some questions I liked to ask you." demanded Kid.**

**Looking at the Doctor, Stein says, "You're not the only one Kid."**

**"Wait minute, what are you two talking about?" puzzled Marie.**

**"See Marie, my assignment Lord Death gave me is too keep an eye on the Doctor and see what's he up to. Well I can say for sure that he isn't on Medusa's or the Cybermen's side. But beyond that, I can't really say for sure who he is."**

Maka: Oh, he's just a reincarnating immortal who can travel through time in a British phone booth. No one special.

**"With that said." Kid asked, "Doctor I want to know why that I couldn't resonate with Liz and Patty, because I don't know how that's even possible?"**

**"In top of that it seems that you know what Medusa and the Cyberman are up to, ever since Free mentioned the 'cracked wall'."**

**"Cracked wall?" shocked Tsubaki, "Crona, mentioned something about a 'cracked wall'."**

Maka: …Crona, you OK? You're being really quiet…

Crona: Sorry…I think I overdid it a bit with the head-hitting thing…*reaches up and feels forehead, pulls blackened fingers away* Ah…yeah, I did…I guess this is Ragnarok's way of saying he's not going to harden the black blood anymore…

Maka: *hugs Crona* Please don't do that again…

Crona: Sorry…

**"So is this cracked wall the key to everything?" asked Black Star.**

**"No, that 'cracked wall' is not the key to everything, its reason why this is all happening."**

Crona: …isn't that the same thing?

**the Doctor said in a low voice, "To answer why you can't resonate with each others souls is because we're in a completely different universe."**

**"What do you mean 'we're in a completely different universe'?" puzzled Kid.**

**"Well…you see some time ago all of you weir sent to my universe and when your in someone else's universe, the laws of that universe applies to you."**

Crona: Wait…I thought they were in our universe. Or weren't. Or…huh?

Maka: Fanfic writer, you think you could provide a map or something so we at least have some clue as to where we are?

**"But nothing seems different to me." said Tsubaki.**

**"It's not just you that was sent to another universe your entire solar system was sent to my universe."**

**"Interesting, I liked to hear how you came to that conclusion." asked Stein.**

**"Well first in my universe people don't turn into weapons and b the TARDIS is only operational in my universe, otherwise it'll be dead."**

Crona: But if the TARDIS only works in your universe, how could you use it earlier? Or was that still in your universe? …I am so confused right now…

**Liz confused, shouted, "Wait a minute! You said if we're in a different universe than we have to obey the laws of that universe! So how come we can turn into weapons if you said that people can't turn into weapons in your universe?"**

**'That's a stupid question. You can travel to all the universes in all of creation and even then that can't change who you are."**

Maka: …well, isn't that convenient.

**"All of this sounds plausible." Kid said,**

Maka: Barely.

**"But do you have any kind of prove to back up this claim?"**

**"Yes…of course I do."**

**Flipping a switch, the Doctor turned on one of the monitors in the room. The monitor revealed the Sun of that from the Doctor's universe and not of the laughing Sun. "Oh, that's a huge big bright thing." said Patty.**

Crona: Why do people keep treating Patty like she's stupid? She's not stupid…she's just…um…

Maka: Out there?

Crona: Yeah…

**"What is that thing?" asked Tsubaki.**

**"Right now we're in my solar system and that thing is my sun."**

**"That's the sun?" asked Marie.**

**"Wait a minute, how did we get to your solar system?" puzzled Kid.**

**"Actually more accurately your solar system is sent to my solar system because that green light you saw forces the solar systems to move." explained the Doctor, "actually more accurately, that light replaced your solar system with mine."**

**"Replaced?"**

**"Yes, nothing is sent too nor comes from any of the universes; instead they are merging with each other and right now the only thing that exists of your world is whatever is inside that field."**

Crona: …ow…my head's hurting again, but for an entirely different reason…

Maka: Yeah, I'm starting to feel the same way…

**The Doctor pushed a button on the panel to show on the monitor a huge green triangle located on Earth with its endpoints located in New York, Panama, and British Columbia. Shocked, Kid asked, "What is that thing?"**

**"Well I can't say for sure but what I can say is that the thing is the cause of the merge."**

**Stein interested, asked, "How?"**

**"In simple terms, its similar to Free's Independent Cube, objects are sent to each world simultaneously because each of the field's endpoints acts like beckon for each individual universe and those beckons are receiving and allowing objects from other worlds to enter into their world. One for my world, one for your world, and one for the other world."**

**"So has long that field is here, the merge will still continue." said Stein.**

**"Exactly and that's why we have to go inside that field and stop it."**

**Black Star with a blank face said, "I don't any of this. I'm not Maka."**

Maka: I'm flattered, but even I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this…

**"Are you serious Black Star?" asked Tsubaki.**

Crona: Don't act like you get it…

**"Okay, than I'll put it in simpler terms, you only have one cup to use for all of the water from three bottles and those bottles are the universes."**

Maka: …oh, yeah, that analogy helps SO much…

**"I have one final question, how are we going to get in if it acts like Free's magic, nothing gets in or out?" asked Kid.**

**"I said its 'similar to' not 'it is'. Since the field is incomplete, it has holes that you can pass through and all I have to do is to find and lock onto the frequency I left inside that field and that will allow us to pass through these holes."**

**"Wait, what exactly did you left in that field?"**

**"I thought you said that your last question would be your final question?"**

**While the Doctor is messing around with the knobs and switches, Stein said, "Than allow me to ask a question. You didn't exactly say what the cracked wall is and when Free mentioned it, you said it's 'the end'. Why?"**

**After a minute of silence, the Doctor finally spoke, "The cracked wall they mentioned is a crack in time itself. The only thing you need to know about it is that you never get to close to it or otherwise that crack will remove you from existence, making sure you have never been born.**

Maka: Then I guess we'd better cross our fingers and hope that crack swallows everyone in this fic, huh?

**But that's not the thing that worries me; he mentioned that the cracked wall talked. It's unable to talk, someone or something is using it as a communicator and telling the Cybermen and this Medusa how to merge universes. This person is an opponent like you haven't seen before or feared before."**

Maka: Meh, I could probably take him.

Crona: By punching him in the face?

Maka: …why'd you have to bring that up?

Crona: S-Sorry!

**"Wait, come to think of it you said that three worlds are merging." said Liz, "What's the third one?"**

Maka: Wait, what? Are we really getting a third world mixed up in this? Is that really necessary?

Crona: Well, it might be one that actually makes sense here…

Maka: I think we're long past the point of anything here making sense, Crona.

**Suddenly, alarms started to go off all around the TARDIS. The Doctor checked the screen to see that the TARDIS as locked onto the frequency. "Alright now, we're going in!" shouted the Doctor while pulling a lever instantly, "Oh before I forget put these on, now!"**

**The Doctor pulled out from his pocket many black, coin liked necklaces and tossed one too each person in the shaking TARDIS. Marie, surprised asked, "Why?"**

**"Just do it!"**

Maka: "Listen to me when I'm giving you items for the sake of plot convenience!"

**Without questioning, everyone including the Doctor put on the necklace.**

Crona: Must be a really big necklace…

**The TARDIS shook faster, sparks flying off the console, lights flickering; and the only one word the Doctor shouted in all of this chaos, "Geronimo!"**

**The TARDIS spinning out of control just entered the green field. While the TARDIS is passing through the field, a song is played, the same one the Doctor and Amy heard when the galaxies merged for the first time. This time the Doctor can distinguish that song is only being played by one instrument but he can't tell what instrument it is though. Stopped, the TARDIS went into complete darkness with only a few lights active with it's power cut off. "What happen?" shouted Black Star.**

**"Weren't you even paying attention Black Star." said Kid, "The TARDIS only as power when it is in their world. But since we don't, I guess we have passed the field and we're in our world. Of course that doesn't explain where that song came from though."**

**"What are talking about, I didn't hear a song?"**

**"Either did I." added Tsubaki.**

**"What?" puzzled Kid, "You guy's didn't hear that song that was just playing?"**

Maka: Apparently this Kid has finally snapped.

Crona: Have to give him credit for holding out as long as he did…

**"Sorry." Marie sign.**

**"Nope." Stein said quickly.**

**"Seesh Kid, first the mountain now this." said Liz.**

**"Your nuts." applied Patty.**

Maka: Well, that's a nice thing to say to your friend. You guys suck as weapon partners.

Crona: …but, didn't we just-

Maka: Not our Kid, we can get away with it.

**Without saying anything, the Doctor thought about why he and Kid are the only ones that could hear the song.**

Crona: I always suspected the Doctor was crazy…

**After a few seconds, the Doctor ran towards the door while shouting, "There's no use staying here since the TARDIS is currently recharging it's power."**

**"How long will it take before it's completely recharged?" asked Stein.**

**"If we don't force it or plug it in to a socket, I say a few hours." said the Doctor when he walked out of the TARDIS.**

**Everyone followed the Doctor outside to find themselves in the main plaza of Death City. Looking around them, they see a lot of fuzzy static humanoid looking figures standing still all around them. "He Kid…are these things ghosts…because they freak me out." said Liz in shivers.**

**"No their not ghosts." said the Doctor while scanning them with the screwdriver, "These things are the people living in the town, currently being replaced."**

**"What!" surprised Kid, "Why would anyone disrupted the balance of the world by replacing it?"**

**"Wait a minute." realizing Black Star in an angry voice, "What's happening to everyone, is it also happening to Soul and Maka as well?"**

**"Yes." answered the Doctor.**

**Clutching his fist, Black Star then said furiously, "Then I can't forgive the guys who did this. Hurting my friends is unforgivable."**

Crona: Well…at least Black*Star's in character…

Maka: Technically, everyone's in character, it's just that the author won't go any farther than one or two character traits. And since Black*Star's two are "I will surpass God" and "friendship blah blah", it's not that difficult to be in character.

**With a depressed look, Tsubaki thought the same way as Black Star while and also worrying about Black Star as well. Checking his glasses again, Stein asked, "Since we're here, shouldn't we also be in the same condition as them?"**

**"True but the necklaces your wearing is a Dimension Desynchronizer." explained the Doctor, "That device is allowing you to exist in multiple universes. But right now, we should hurry if we want to save our friends."**

Crona: "Our" friends? Since when were you friends with us?

Maka: You mean them.

Crona: …oh, right. Never mind.

**"How?" asked Marie.**

**"I don't know yet."**

**Meanwhile, in the Death Room, Medusa holding the Madness Manipulation Machine, walked right up towards Lord Death who is watching the mirror being next to a fuzzy image. Medusa with her head down said, "Hello Lord Death."**

**Lord Death turns around to see who is talking to him. "Than again you're not Lord Death."**

**"So you figured it out." said the fake Death.**

**"Well, I am a scientist and I have to do research before I execute the final project. But I am curious in who you are?"**

**"Oh me? Well, I'm the Master."**

Both: WHAT A TWIST!

**Author's Notes:**

**I'm giving Science Fiction writers more credit than they deserve.**

Maka: And we're giving you more attention than you deserve.

**Passing through the static figures, everyone followed the Doctor through the halls of the DWMA while he himself is following the noise of his Sonic Screwdriver. Teeth shaking, Liz said nervously, "So…these things won't attack us right?"**

**"Yes Liz, those academy students won't attack us." said Kid while slowly about to shout. "Now can you come over here already!"**

**Kid stopping his foot to the ground for Liz to be while she is yards away from everyone else. Quickly, Liz stood next to Kid.**

Crona: That was uncharacteristically mean of him…

Maka: I guess bad fanfics are all about accentuating the negatives, huh?

Crona: Sounds about right…

**Everyone stopped; the Doctor's screwdriver led them all the way to the Infirmary. "The Infirmary?" puzzled Mari, "What are we doing here?"**

**"Like I already said." said the Doctor while putting away the screwdriver, "We're going to save our friends."**

Crona: I really wish he'd stop saying that…

**Entering the Infirmary, the Doctor went in first with Marie right behind him. "But you said you don't know how to save them."**

**Pulling out three more necklaces like the ones that everyone is wearing to protect themselves from the merge, the Doctor replied, "True, but I can save them."**

Maka: How does…but didn't you…that doesn't…_are you even trying to make sense anymore_?

**The Doctor put a necklace on all three figures in the room, one on the bed and two next to it. "What are you doing?" asked Marie.**

**Taking a few steps back, the Doctor examines the figures to make sure that the necklaces are taking effect. The fizzing-ness of the figures started to disappear and become clearer to see. Everyone witnessing, Soul appeared on the bed while Amy and Maka replaced the other two figures. "Soul, Maka." cried Tsubaki, "You guys are okay."**

Maka: So you did know how to save them. So why did you say you didn't?

Crona: …failed attempt at drama?

**"Where did you guys come from?" surprised Amy.**

**"Looks like the effects of the merge makes a person unaware what's happening to them." suggested the Doctor while examining Amy's face, "I hope that's the only thing that happen to them."**

**"What merge? What are talking about?"**

**"Wait a minute." Kid said suddenly realizing, "If we can save everyone in Death City with these necklaces why don't we just put one on for everybody?"**

**"Wait. Why are we wearing these things?"**

**"This is all I have." said the Doctor.**

**"Can't you make more?" added Kid.**

**"Nope."**

**"You like to tell me what's going on?" asked Amy.**

**"Why not?" shouted Kid.**

**"Because I didn't make them and I don't know how to make one." answered the Doctor.**

**"Are you even listening to me?" asked Amy.**

Crona: Oh, sorry, what? I wasn't really paying attention…

**"If that's a case than it's a sure quite a coincidence that you used the last ones on your friend." applied Kid, "Actually come to think of it how did you know that she was here?"**

**"Doctor can you at least tell me why I had to hold onto this pen for you?" asked Amy, pulling out a silver pen out from her pocket.**

**The Doctor snatch the pen out of Amy's hand than twist it to open it. He reveals a long stick with a red blinking light inside of it. "See this is the device I left behind here. "said the Doctor," Without this thing we wouldn't be able to enter this field**

**"Hold on." Kid said, "The way you're talking it seems that you knew that all of this was going to happen."**

Maka: Well, duh. It wouldn't be Doctor Who if he didn't.

**"Can you two stop fighting and explain what's going on." Amy said frustrated.**

**"Okay Amy, I'll start explaining things." said the Doctor, "I gave you the pen because I had a hunch that you might get trapped in the merge of the three universes. This hunch came from when I remember that such a thing could be possible, but it was only a theory someone told long ago. It was called the TriParadox Theory where you can create a brand new universe by merging with three other universes."**

Crona: Ow…there goes that headache again…

Maka: And I notice we still haven't been told what this third universe supposedly is. And I know you need to build up drama, but a hint or something would be appreciated, rather than just dropping it in our laps at the last minute!

**"And it seems that your hunch was right." Kid applied, "But who was the person you heard this idea came from?"**

**The Doctor didn't say anything. After a moment, the Doctor spoke pointing his finger at Soul, "Right now we got to take this guy along with us because we're not going to like when those figures exposes themselves."**

**"We can't move Soul!" shouted Maka, "His condition might get worse."**

Maka: Nice to know Blandy McStupid isn't that…well, stupid.

Crona: Going with it anyway?

Maka: Well, _you_ liked it, right?

Crona: Y-Yeah…

Maka: Good enough reason for me.

Crona: …*blushes*

**"Relax. Right now he's just resting; he'll be fine as long we don't leave him here."**

**"He's right Maka." Amy said, "Come on I'll help you carry him."**

**Both Amy and Maka picked up Soul by his arms.**

Maka: …never mind.

**Amy than asked the Doctor, "Okay, now what?"**

**"Don't know, right now we're just looking around."**

Maka: …don't you just love it when he conveniently decides to not be helpful?

Crona: He does do that a lot, doesn't he…?

**"Wait a minute, your saying that their was no point in coming here?" Liz said.**

**"No." answered Black Star, "We came here to save our friends and right now we should find a way to save all our friends."**

**Waling out the Infirmary, the Doctor left first with everyone following behind him. "Right you are." said the Doctor, "First, if I'm right we need to find…"**

**Stopping in the middle of the hall, the figures slowly began to be clearer to see than before. After a minute, the figures are now visible; the Cyberman appeared. Quickly Kid demanded, "Liz, Patty."**

**"Okay!" shouted both Liz and Patty while turning into guns.**

**Kid pointed the guns at one of the Cybermen pulled the trigger of them with his pinky. "No!" shouted the Doctor.**

**The Doctor shoved Kid's arms into the air forcing the bullets to fire above the Cybermen and hitting the ceiling.**

Maka: *facepalm* Seriously, we beat the Cybermen before! Why do we suddenly need to run away from them?

Crona: Because the Doctor can't beat them and we automatically have to do what he says?

Maka: Is that because of the sake of the plot, or because of that weird cross-dimensional rules thing?

Crona: …both?

**"Intruders detected, delete!" shouted the Cybermen.**

**"Run!"**

Maka: Way to go, a-hole!

**Everyone ran at the end of wall while avoiding the laser fires from the Cybermen. One of the laser shots forced Kid to drop Liz. While that happen Kid immediately let go of Patty forcing her and Liz to turn back into human form. Black Star, Tsubaki, and Liz hid behind one side of the wall at the end of hall while the others hid behind the other side. Angry, Kid asked, "We did you protect the Cybermen?"**

Crona: …huh?

**The Doctor looking at Kid answered, "Remember what I said. The Cybermen replaced everyone in this town and if destroy them then the person that the Cyberman replaced can't come back."**

Maka: …this is practically a 7-11, what will all the convenience in it.

**"So basically what you're saying is that this invasion is the perfect offence and defense." Stein said, "They are able to attack us but we're helpless to fight them because the people we are trying to save can't be."**

**"Delete!" screamed one of the Cybermen before it fired it's laser.**

**Crumbling, the shot of the laser force the ceiling to collapse in the cross section of the hall. "Maka, Soul, Kid!" Tsubaki shouted behind the collapse debris.**

Maka: Please be dead, please be dead, please be dead…

**"We're okay, are you guys okay." shouted Maka on the other side of the debris.**

Maka: DAMMIT!

**Hearing the footsteps of the Cyberman at the corner of the halls, the Doctor demanded, "We gotta move now."**

**In a calm angry voice, Kid commanded Liz, Tsubaki and Black Star, "We'll catch up to you guys later."**

**Liz in response said, "Alright."**

**Meanwhile in the Death Room, Medusa and the Grim Reaper calling himself the Master stared each other down. Hearing the Cybermen outside the Death Room, she replied, "Um, it seems that everyone in Death City and everyone else in this field is now a Cybermen."**

**"Again, it seems that you're not surprised of this outcome." said the Master.**

Maka: She sounded pretty surprised to me…

Crona: She never was the type to do "surprised"…

**"Well the plan that cracked wall said that this universal merging would make Death City disappear since Death's soul is attached to the city. And since his soul is attached to the city he would disappeared since the merging would force him to be written off from existence. However we both knew that I know better and that someone would only just take up Lord Deaths place and I presume that the plan from the beginning was you doing."**

**"If you knew all that than why did you help out with the plan?"**

**Medusa placing the Madness Manipulation Machine on its legs, continue to speak, "So I can have an army to command."**

**Medusa turned on the machine and with that the red Madness Wavelength flew out of the machine, "Not only will I control the Cybermen but also you, Master."**

Maka: …wow…they actually turned Medusa into a stereotypical villain…and yet, I'm not angry with that at all.

Crona: At least if she's stereotypical, we have some idea of what she's planning…

**Author's Notes:**

**I know that the Cyberman Laser doesn't work like that.**

Crona: So why'd you change it, then?

**I'm kind of guy who doesn't ask this but can you please review this.**

Crona: Even though you just did…

Maka: Don't you just love contradictions?

**"Delete!" shouting all of the Cybermen, firing their lasers at Kid, Stein, Marie, Patty, Soul, Maka, Amy, and the Doctor.**

**"Damn, we're going to be killed if we don't find a way to fight back." Kid said in thought.**

**Bam, Kid along with the others is impaled with fury, fear, along with other dark emotions running through their souls. Everyone except for Marie and Patty, are forced down to their knees with their hands on their head to exercise their mind from a loud noise that's banging in their heads.**

Maka: Wait, why not Professor Marie and Patty?

Crona: Professor Marie has that "redeeming wavelength" or whatever it is…so maybe that…

Maka: And Patty?

Crona: …because it's Patty?

Maka: Please tell me you were going by the author's thought process there…

Crona: I was…

**"What's happening to you guys?" Marie shouted, worrying.**

**"No…it can't be." Stein said barely.**

**"What…what is this noise?" Amy screamed.**

**"The Madness Wavelength." Maka said.**

**Patty with her finger pointing at the end of the hall "Those trash cans sure don't look to happy."**

Maka: Oh come on, Patty would show at least a little concern!

**All the Cybermen screaming all at once, "Deeelllleeeete!"**

**In the Death Room, the Master looking at Medusa asked, "So how are you going to control all of the Cybermen and myself with that little toy of yours?"**

**"The same way I'm going to rule this world."**

Both: *singing* They're Pinky and the Brain…yes Pinky and the Brain…one is a genius, the other's insane…

**Medusa said in a calm tone, "With Madness."**

**"Madness?"**

Maka: The only way I'm making that joke is if I get to kick someone into a spiked pit. Preferably her or the author.

Crona: I'm actually kind of wondering if anyone's already made that joke…

**Smiling, Medusa replied, "Yes, no matter who you are everyone as a small amount of madness. And with that madness I will control all the Cybermen. Since that Cyberman next to you is the closest thing to the Madness Wavelength, I can control it with ease. Now you Cyberman, delete that grim reaper calling himself the Master."**

**Without hesitation, the Cyberman raised its arm into the air and calling out, "Delete."**

Maka: Well, at least this fic is one step closer to being done…right?

**In an isolated hallway of the DWMA, Tsubaki and Liz on their knees are fighting the madness to keep their sanity in tact while Black Star without any hint of madness, stood straight tall. Trying to speak, Tsubaki cried out, "Black…Star."**

Maka: _Oh come on_! Can you actually finish something before jumping to something else? Do you have ADD?

**"I know, I can sense where it's coming from." Black Star said in a low voice.**

**Black Star ran off down the hall out of Liz and Tsubaki's view. In her mind, Liz said, "I hope Black Star or someone else can stop this. The last time the madness was like this was back at Baba Yaga's Castle. But back than Soul save us with his piano but Soul can't do it again since he's out cold."**

**The laser fired from the Cyberman in the Death Room missed Medusa significantly.**

Maka: He just did it again! What was the point of changing scenes if you were going to change back just a few sentences later? This isn't like the manga where you can get away with that!

**Medusa now standing the opposite end of the exit by jumping out of the range of the laser, confused she thought to herself, "What's going on here. This doesn't make any sense I should easily command the Cybermen when they are engulfed in madness. However even this close to the Madness Wavelength it didn't listen to me, but why?"**

**"Madness?" said the Master, "Your nothing like him, human."**

Crona: You mean "witch". I'm pretty sure we established that witches are separate beings from humans…

**"What'd you say?" whispered Medusa with widen eyes.**

**"We Cybermen don't have any emotion." the Cyberman said, "Our systems our unaffected by the Madness Wavelength. Your cooperation and requirements are no longer needed so you will be now deleted."**

Maka: …well, I guess trying to make robots insane was a pretty stupid idea.

**The Cyberman raised its arm at Medusa. Before it could fire, the Master interrupted him. "Let me handle this, you round up the Cybermen for the attack."**

**Than the Cyberman lowered its arm too reply, "Acknowledged."**

**The Cyberman turn it's back at Medusa and began to walk out of the Death Room. While walking out of the Death Room, Medusa shout, "I won't let you leave this room that easy! Vector Arrow!"**

**A huge stream of black arrows sprouted from Medusa's back chasing and enclosing on the Cyberman. Inches away from the steel, the Master blocked the attack with a yellow barrier enlarging from his body. Not only did it stop the arrows dead in their tracks but they also shattered and faded away into the air. The barrier gone, the Master replied, "That was fun."**

**Marie dragged Stein through the hallway, Amy and Maka tried to stand on their feet while carrying Soul on their backs, Kid slowly walking on this two feet try to keep up with everyone, whereas the Doctor in front of everyone is walloping back and forth in the hall while Patty perfectly fine just giggled and walked normally beside everyone else.**

Maka: _Would you stay on one scene already_?

Crona: And could you also stop making Patty into a giggling idiot…?

**Hearing footsteps at both ends of the wall, the Doctor forced himself to open a classroom's door in the hall. Breathing heavily, the Doctor said, "Everyone…in here…quick…ly."**

**Going fast has they could, everyone entered into the classroom than collapse on the ground. The Doctor closed the door behind them and used his sonic screwdriver to lock it than he as well collapsed on the ground. Marie and Patty looked at everyone lying on the ground, breathing heavily. Crying, Marie can only think to herself, "How can this happen? I'm a teacher at this school and I'm supposed to protect my students but the only thing I can do is to make sure they don't completely fall into the madness. Why am I so useless?"**

Maka: How is being able to stop them from falling into madness and being able to turn into a smash-anything-I-want-to hammer useless?

Crona: It isn't…but I guess they needed some token drama for her too…

**"Marie." Stein whispered with his head down.**

**Marie stopped crying and kneeled down towards Stein to reply, "Yes."**

**Stein than reached his hand out to say, "Marie…the madness as consumed me."**

**Slammed, Stein knocked Marie back into the back wall using his soul's wavelength. Blood pouring out of Marie's mouth, the impact paralyzed her entire body. Stein stood up, his head down, turning his screw in his head, turning his screw, turning his screw, turning his screw, click; out a surgeon knife. "It's time to dissect you!" screamed Stein in an echoing voice.**

Maka: Oh, of course. Because we needed to ignore all the progress he's made for the sake of drama too! Just…fuck this fic.

**"Let's be honest human." said Master looking at Medusa, "You thought you can achieve your ultimate goal as a king but in reality you're just an other tool."**

Maka: Oh for the love of…if you're going to do that, could you at least put some sort of transition between the jumps so we're aware of what the hell's going on?

**Medusa smiling, said, "Well you're also a tool and as well has being pathetic. The Cybermen are just using you so they can be revived to once and former pride. And I think you know this too since you of all the people you can control their body with and you chosed the grim reaper's. Thinking that your safe just because you pretending to be the lord of death but in reality you don't know who the reaper is and its more of mask than the one your wearing on your face."**

**Silent, the Master said nothing. Suddenly, he busted out laughing than declared, "Human, first the Cybermen have no 'former pride' and they are the tool ,oh sadly to say I don't pretend to know the grim reaper."**

**Vanished in front of Medusa's eyes, the Master suddenly appear behind Medusa's back with his hand in the air, "I 'know' the grim reaper because I was his apprentice! Master Chop!"**

Both: …wait, _what_?

**In a flash, the Master slammed his fist into the ground hard; it left a creator with a cloud of dust behind after its collision. Medusa however escaped the collision by using Vector Plate and using more of them to get behind the Master for a counterattack. Crossed arms, Medusa shouted, "Vector Storm!"**

**A wall of black arrows sprouted under Medusa's feet creating a wall of spears to strike the Master, however he swigged his hand vertically cutting through the arrows. Casting an other Vector Plate under her feet, Medusa avoided the attack by forcing herself to jump backwards. Both of them looked at each other in the eyes, still, move-less. Medusa spoke, "The one thing I don't understand is that you are completely unaffected by the madness. Whys that?"**

**Instantly, the Master replied, "It's really quite simple. The drums are louder."**

Crona: Oh, he's already crazy…I guess that makes sense…

Maka: If that's the explanation for why he's supposedly Lord Death's apprentice, this fic might actually be saved. Partially, at least.

**"Don't you see?" screamed Stein walking slowly one step at a time, "I must figure out why a young body like yours is so old!"**

**Stein with eyes of a predator looked down on the Doctor lying on the floor, emotionless. Stopped, Stein didn't move watching the Doctor slowly move. "I wonder if you're even human?" added Stein.**

**Calm, the Doctor said, "Well two things you need to know about me before facing. A, never back anyone into a corner and secondly never back anyone into a corner with me in it."**

Crona: …that might've actually sounded cool if the poor grammar didn't wreck it…

**Maka and Amy both lying on the floor, watching Stein and the Doctor staring each other down with eyes of madness. "Stein…" Maka said.**

**"Doctor…" Amy said.**

**Medusa in a position to strike, thought to herself, "I'm not quite sure who this guy is but I can't stand around her to find out. Since he's in the grim reaper's body, he can finish me off with one blow and even than he doesn't even need to do that. He only as to do is remove the necklace I made off my neck and I will be trapped in the merge."**

Maka: …I'm about to give in to the madness if this author doesn't _stop with the pointless scene jumps_!

Crona: On a side note, nice of you to conveniently reveal what would kill you to the audience…

**"Yahoo!" a familiar voice yelled from high up in the air.**

**It was Black Star falling right above the Madness Manipulation Machine. He yelled, "Sorry madness but your spotlight is over."**

**Black Star punched the machine into the ground while landing on his feet; smashing it into ground, making it useless. Medusa and the Master stare at Black Star while he looked at both of them with his fists clutched. With his eyebrow twitching, Black Star in anger said, "Medusa."**

**In thought, Medusa said, "What's he doing here?"**

**"Hi uh Black Star, are you doing?" said the Master cheerfully, "Can you do me a favor and remove that necklace from that annoying witch for me will ya?"**

**Still in thought, "What? How does he know Black Star's name? Also how does he know how my necklace works?"**

Maka: Who cares? If it means you're about to die, I'll take it!

**Before she could move a muscle, Black Star appeared in front of her with his palm in her stomach. Turned, Black Star moved his palm causing Soul Force, pushing Medusa backwards in the air with her soul. While in the air, Black Star raised his hand swiftly grabbing onto the necklace. The push broke the chain where Black Star stood in place. Eyes widen, Medusa in shock looked at Black Stars emotionless face than looked at the Master. "Goodbye, tool." he said.**

**Medusa vanishes only leaving behind the same static creatures as the figures before they became Cybermen. The Master walked behind Black Star still in the same pose with his fist in the air. "Good work, Black Star." the Master said.**

Maka: WOO! *singing* Ding dong, the witch is dead, which old witch? The wicked witch…

Crona: …yay?

**Black Star turned around and smiled at the Master to say, "Well, we're you expecting anything else?"**

**Grabbing his attention, the Master looked at the necklace that Black Star is wearing. Interested, Master asked, "Where did you get that necklace from?"**

**Surprised, Black Star replied, "I got it from this Doctor guy."**

**"Doctor?"**

**"Yeah why?"**

**Silent for a moment, the Master continued, "Do you know where his blue box is?"**

**"Yeah but why do you need to know that."**

**"Well Black Star, Medusa and the Cybermen where after that box of his from the beginning. Even though Medusa is defeated the Cybermen are still around and we can't let it fall into the wrong hands."**

**"Yeah I guess that sounds right. Well just follow me."**

**"Thank you Black Star."**

Maka: "By the way, this totally isn't an obvious trap! Really, it isn't!"

**Author's notes**

**Chapter 5, 6, and 7 was originally going to be one chapter.**

Crona: …you enjoy doing this to us, don't you?

**The scalpel's steel touching the skin, the finger's touching the pressure point; Stein and the Doctor in position to strike down each other.**

Maka: Do it, do it, do it…

**For a while both of them didn't move nor say anything. Stein calm, suddenly said, "The madness is gone."**

**"I know." replied the Doctor.**

**Stein removed the scalpel and the Doctor removed his fingers at the same time.**

Maka: GODDAMMIT!

**Looking at each other, the Doctor nervously said, "So…you liked to dissect things?"**

**"Yes and you seems to hold a lot of anger of inside of you."**

**"Well kind of. So do you guys know what just happen?"**

Maka: Nothing even remotely important?

Crona: Drama for the sake of drama…?

**"Yes…" Kid said while slowly standing back up, "It was the Madness Manipulation Machine that caused this."**

**"What's that?" asked Amy.**

**The Doctor quickly replied, "Not important right now Amy."**

**"Why not?"**

Maka: "Because I have to be as annoyingly uninformative as I always am."

**"The important thing right now is why it stopped and why it started in the first place. Of course we got to find where this machine is."**

**"It's in the Death Room." said Soul, "I heard that wavelength before and I can tell where it came from."**

Maka: Oh, right. I forgot he was there.

**Maka shocked, cried out, "Soul! Are you all right?"**

**Quickly, the Doctor ran towards Soul than started to examine his face. The Doctor asked, "All right can you say 'poka loka joke-a koa'"?**

**"Wait what?" Soul replied, confused.**

Crona: Poke a what now…?

Maka: Ugh, I hate polka…

**"Yeah he's fine." the Doctor said disappointing.**

**The Doctor walked away and pulled out his sonic screwdriver to check the walls. Soul turn and seeing Maka crying while also being angry. Slowly, Maka prepare to yell at Soul in fury. "Soul!" shout Maka, "What are you thinking in getting in hurt again, don't you know how stupid that is?"**

**"For the smartest person in this school you're sure an idiot!" Soul yelling at Maka, "Don't you get it yet, I always tell you that since I'm your weapon and a Death Scythe I'm always going to protect you!"**

**"That's not it Soul! Since I'm a Meister I'm the one who should protect you so you!"**

Maka: …Crona?

Crona: Y-Yes?

Maka: Can you ignore me for a minute so I don't look like a hypocrite?

Crona: …wait, what?

Maka: *starts hitting head against tray*

Crona: …oh.

**"Stop it you two!" shouted Amy at both Soul and Maka, "Your suppose to be friends, you should protect each other and like I already said to you Maka, if a person is willing to save you than you should keep them around and yet you two fight in why your saving each other's lives!"**

**Amy even in fury shed a tear of sadness for them. In disappointment, both Soul and Maka looked away not only from Amy but from them also.**

Maka: Excuse me, but who exactly are you and what makes you think you know well enough to lecture us on this sort of thing? Especially when it's just repeated from the last time this happened?

Crona: …no comment…

**Interrupting the sad moment, Patty pointing her finger above the chalkboard shouted cheerfully out loud, "Cool, that's pretty light coming from that crack in the wall!"**

Maka: For once, I'm grateful for this Patty's stupidity…

**Everyone looked to see Patty pointing at a cracked wall with light laminating from it. Confused, Marie asked, "What exactly is that?"**

**"'The cracked wall' that Free mention that this Medusa talks to." replied the Doctor.**

**"The same one that removes anyone from existence?" said Kid.**

**"It is." Amy said,**

Maka: Great! All of you, dive head-first into it! Go on, it'll only take a second! No one will miss you!

**"The same one that is on my bedroom wall since I was little girl and the same one that as been chasing me my entire life."**

**"Amy I told you before that thing is not chasing you." said the Doctor quickly, "That's a crack in the universe happening at multiple points in time, however right now that's not our problem."**

**"What's worse than that?" Amy asked angrily.**

**"Right now there are dozens of Cybermen bashing through that door and since we can't harm them we need to find another way out to get to the Death Room."**

**"Another way out?" Marie said out loud to herself, "I know how to get out of here."**

Maka: …I swear, if this leads to a joke about her poor sense of direction…

Crona: Would he really do that when they're in a dire situation…?

Maka: I always assume the worst with these people.

**Marie walked towards the wall of the opposite side of the classroom's entrance. Clutching the fist, Marie punched the wall; making a huge wall with the rocks that was once their lying on the floor. Marie turned around towards everyone with closed eye and a smile on her face. Everyone is surprised and afraid of Marie's strength except for Patty who is happily shouting, "Do it again!"**

Maka: Yes, please, do it again! Only this time aim at them. Maybe Blandy McStupid?

**People calm as possible, the Doctor replied, "That will do."**

**Walking left Marie said, "Okay everyone follow me."**

**"Wrong way Marie." said Stein.**

**Stopped, Marie turned and walked right than said, "Yeah of course, your right."**

Both: *facepalm*

Maka: Goddammit…

**While walking out, Soul apply, "Man how does she not this place by now?"**

Crona: Because the author has a poor sense of humour…

**Following Soul; Maka, Doctor, Stein, Amy, and Patty walked out of the classroom with Kid behind them. Before Kid exit out of the room, he is stopped by a familiar voice, "You know what's cool Kid?"**

**Kid immediately turned around to see that it is Soul who is talking to him. However Kid already left the room and he is also wearing the same tuxedo as the one he wears in the black blood. "If I play Verse Three instead of Beat Four since it's more even, wouldn't you agree?"**

**"What are talking about and who exactly are you?" demanded Kid.**

**"Who are you talking too Kid?" asked Patty who is behind Kid.**

**Kid turns his head to see Patty with a confused look on her face than turn back to see that Soul is gone. "Are you coming?"**

**"Ye…yeah I'm coming." replied Kid.**

**While walking away, she said, "And Liz says I'm the crazy one."**

Maka: Nice to know her sister is just oh so nice to her…

Crona: …seriously, why is this author making Patty like this? What'd she ever do to him?

**Kid followed Patty and thought to himself, "What's going on? How can their be two Souls?"**

Maka: Easy, you're as nutty as a peanut butter covered fruitcake.

Crona: …I can't tell if that would actually be delicious or disgusting…

Maka: Probably the latter.

Crona: B-But I thought you said that peanut butter made everything taste better!

Maka: …it's fruitcake. There's only so much you can do.

**Outside on the higher floors of the DWMA, Tsubaki and Liz are hiding from the Cybermen and also looking for any help. "Man we got to find someone soon or these guys are going to eat us." said Liz, looking overhead of Death City on the balcony.**

**Tsubaki sighed than thought to herself, "I hope Black Star and the others are okay."**

Maka: …does this Tsubaki do anything but worry about Black*Star?

Crona: There's that "one-or-two-character-traits" thing you mentioned again…

**"Hey look Tsubaki, its Black Star along with Lord Death!"**

**Tsubaki quickly looked to see it is Black Star and Lord Death on the first floor walking towards Death City. "Hey Black Star, over here!" shouted Liz, "Hey you two! Man why can't they hear us?"**

**"Where are they going?" puzzled Tsubaki.**

**"Who cares, let's catch up to them!"**

**Soul and the others have reached the Death Room. The Doctor examined the broken machine lying on the floor, says, "So this is the Madness Manipulation Machine."**

Maka: …you know what? I don't even care anymore. Skip around like a schizophrenic monkey on crack! Go ahead! Doesn't make any difference to me!

**"With the mess, I say Black Star was here." said Kid, "Of course it also seems he was fighting someone in here."**

**"It might be that weird thing over there." Soul suggested pointing at the figure in the room.**

Maka: …wait, she's not actually dead? …_MOTHERFUCKER_!

Crona: It'd be nice if this fic wasn't so vague about that…

**"Or it could be the 'Lord of Death'." Amy added.**

**"No it can't be him." Stein said.**

**"Whys that, he's off somewhere else?"**

**"Lord Death can't be 'somewhere else' even if he wanted too."**

**"Why's that?"**

**"Lord Death's soul is attached to the city, meaning that he can never leave this city."**

**Doctor stopped looking at the machine and started to think. "With that said, where is Black Star?" asked Soul, "Hey Maka can you find him."**

**Maka nodded than closed her eyes to use Soul Perception. Maka finding Black Star says, "I see him, he's…"**

**"Southwest from the DWMA with someone else." Doctor said interrupting Maka.**

Maka: …wow, way to make Blandy McStupid's sole purpose utterly useless, Doc!

**With everyone confused what the Doctor said, Maka added, "Yeah…he is with someone but not Tsubaki or anyone else I recognized."**

**"You have Soul Perception to?" asked Soul.**

**"No." the Doctor replied, "I can smell who Black Star is with and I recognize that smell.**

Maka: "I'd recognize that terrible cologne of his anywhere!"

**And now we get to them before it's too late!"**

**The Doctor quickly began to run out of the Death Room. Before he can reach the exit, Amy shouted, "Hey Doctor what's going to be too late if we don't reach them?"**

**"Remember what I said that people are being replaced while this merge is going on?"**

**"Yes." Stein acknowledges.**

**"Than why is Death City still around if this town is a living entity."**

Crona: I'm guessing you're not going to tell us.

**"This is it." said Black Star in front of the TARDIS.**

**Happy, the Master said, "Thank you, Black Star."**

Maka: "And by the way, the author clearly thinks you're stupid, so you've been made in a gigantic idiot for the sake of this fic. Congratulations."

/

The last chapter is the longest, so I'm going to cut it here for the sake of making things somewhat even.

Next part will be up soon.


	4. Story 2: The Doctor's On First? Part 3

OK, we're just about done this mess, so let's get to it.

Let's rock this joint!

/

**Running, Liz and Tsubaki quickly followed Black Star and Death all the way to the TARDIS. Out of distance, both out of breath, unable to speak; they only can think about why Black Star and Death are here. Tsubaki hearing them, Black Star with his back at Death asked, "So what do these guys want with this thing?"**

**"I'm not sure?" replied Death raising his hand into the air preparing to strike, "But I know what I'm going to do with it."**

Maka: "I'm going to see what happens if I give Hitler even more of an inferiority complex!"

**Swiftly, Death dropped his hand towards Black Star's head. With an hair away for Death's hand ramming into Black Star's skull, a force pushed Black Star out of the way from the attack. Black Star's surrounding moving slowly around him noticing that the force that pushed him is Tsubaki. He also notices that the hand is to fast for Tsubaki to get out of the way. Death rammed his hand onto Tsubaki's spine and slamming her to the ground creating a crater with cloud of dust surrounding it.**

**Black Star landing on his feet remains motionless waiting for the cloud to vanish. With him watching the cloud disappearing, he sees Tsubaki lying in the creator, motionless. Running to her, Black Star keeled down to check on Tsubaki. Trying not to cry, Black Star quietly said, "Tsubaki."**

Both: *stunned silence*

Maka: …_I will fucking destroy you_.

**"Oh, to sad." Death mocked, "Just look at the bright side…forget it their is no bright side your just going to die."**

**Death again raised his hand into the air, preparing to attack. Before he could strike, a fist punched him in the back. A powerful push flew Death into the air hearing a person shouting behind him, "Soul Force!"**

**Flying and crashing into the second floor's wall on his back, Death sees that it was Stein was the one who attacked him, however Stein is not alone. "Liz are you alright?" asked Kid while looking at Tsubaki.**

Crona: Why are you worried about her? She wasn't the one who was _critically injured_!

**Sad, Liz replied, "Yeah but I don't know about Tsubaki."**

**The Doctor examining Tsubaki in her condition, while Black Star hold her in his hands. Death crashed on the ground but he quickly is able to stand back up. Liz in confusion shouted, "But why would Lord Death do this?"**

**"That's not Death." Stein instantly replied.**

Maka: No shit, Sherlock!

**"Wait a minute, what are you saying?"**

**Still examining Tsubaki, Doctor added, "If he was Death than this city wouldn't be here since this town is his soul. He was just replace with the only person that knows about TriParadox Theory, the same person who is capable of doing it, the same person who gave me these necklaces when this ever happen! Right…Master?"**

**"So you figured me out so quick, good work Doctor." sarcastically said the Master.**

**Maka using her Soul Perception sees the Master's large, crimson soul that beating like a heart. She compares his soul to the Doctor's and comments to herself, "Their souls are about the same size, as though they are equals."**

Crona: Size doesn't matter, you know.

Maka: …

Crona: …what?

Maka: Nothing…

**"Bla…Black Star." Tsubaki said barely with her coughing blood.**

**"Don't talk, save your energy." angrily said the Doctor.**

**Seeing Black Star with watery eyes, Amy asked the Doctor, "See will be alright? Right Doctor?"**

**The Doctor being silent, continue to examine Tsubaki. The Master being calm said, "You know much as I do Doctor that she'll die.**

Maka: As much as I hate to admit it, I wouldn't be surprised, since this author just _loves_ unnecessary drama!

**"Shut up." The Doctor said.**

**"I'm surprised that a weak human like her can survive that attack."**

**"Shut up."**

Both: What he said!

**"Well no matter she'll only live only about a few hours."**

**"Shut up!" The Doctor screamed.**

**"Am I wrong?"**

**Being silent, the Doctor said nothing. "As I thought, I mean after all that is what a Grim Reaper does, kill."**

Crona: How generically evil of you to say…

**"Shut up!" Kid yelled, "Not only I won't forgive you for hurting a friend but you have no right to disgrace my father's name for your actions!"**

**"Really? When I knew Death he enjoyed killing people."**

**"Wait? How do you knew my father?"**

Maka: Yeah, how about you actually try explaining something this time?

Crona: You know we're not going to like whatever explanation he gives, right…?

Maka: At this point, I just want _something_ that makes sense!

**"You haven't told them Doctor?" asked the Master looking at the Doctor, "Well this will be an story for you all. About 900 years ago when traveling between universes was easy, the man that stands before you killed a person in order to protect me. Than after that Death showed up to the Doctor to be his apprentice but he refused and instead suggested me to be his disciple. Death agreed and thereon I became Death's pupil. Irony don't you say Doctor, if it wasn't for you none of this would've happen. I wouldn't met Eidon, Asura, nor would I have gain a body."**

Maka: …Crona, do you ever hate being right?

Crona: Every time…

**"What do you mean 'gain a body'? Stein interrupted.**

**"Well I was just a soul wonder around the Void."**

**"The Void?" Soul asked.**

**"The third universe needed to make the TriParadox Theory to work but that universe is also called Hell." explained the Doctor.**

Maka: Well, if it means everyone's going to get eaten by Sauron, I say go for it!

**"Right you are Doctor!" cheerfully shouted the Master, "Thanks to that human Medusa,**

Crona: Witch.

Maka: Except spelt with a "B" instead of a "W".

**she was able to make the TriParadox Theory come true. She believed that Death City would be destroyed but in reality it was just a way for me to gain a body."**

**"Why a witch like a Medusa work for you." Maka furiously asked.**

Maka: Because she's as generic a character as you, Blandy McStupid!

**"How does the Cybermen even come into play in all of this?" the Doctor asked.**

**"Well that witch needed to believe that she's going to have an army." calming said the Master, "Until you showed up Doctor, I was going to use them to conqueror a few worlds but since the TARDIS is here I don't need them anymore."**

**Crying, Amy yelled, "So everything you did, hurt are friends, kill off millions of people for you robot army so you can just toss them away, destroy our homes so you can your 'body'!"**

**Thinking for a moment, the Master replied, "Yes. Now excuse me I need to…"**

**"Shut up you bastard." Maka angrily said with her fist clutched, "Because of you, Soul would have never been in bed and Tsubaki wouldn't have being dieing because of you.**

Maka: Way to show lack of preference, Blandy!

**Soul."**

**"Yeah." Soul acknowledged by turning into a Death Scythe for Maka to use.**

**'Liz, Patty!" Kid demanded.**

**Both Liz and Patty turn into guns with Liz saying, "I can't believe we're doing this."**

**"Since I'm a Grim Reaper, prepare to be judged for the actions you have committed!"**

**Marie turned into a hammer for Stein to wield. Marie than said, "Now I'm a teacher at this school which means that I'm going to protect my students but also punish anyone who hurts them."**

**"I have to agree with my partner." replied Stein.**

**"Doctor, Amy; look after Tsubaki." Black Star said with his head down, "You going to die bastard. You hurt Tsubaki and I won't allow you to hurt anymore of friends! When I kill you, I'll see you the afterlife and kill you their as well."**

Crona: …wait, is Black*Star saying he's going to kill himself? That's…depressing…

**The Master looking at all Meisters and weapons who are about to fight him, only laughed. He continues to laugh, and laugh, laugh, laugh.**

Maka: OK, we get it, he thinks this is funny. Move on.

**Annoyed, Maka yelled, "Whats so funny?"**

**The Master stopped than responded, "I'm just enjoying that tools who say I discard tools I don't need and yet their tools for the Doctor."**

**Everyone confused in what the Master means, he continue to say, "I mean who was the one who told you what was going on, the one who gave you those necklaces, the one who send you to fight, the one who gave away his friend to Death? You see reality is that we're all tools of the Doctor. He controls when you live and die, right Doctor?"**

Maka: Oh, great, time for the failure of a Hannibal Lecture.

**"That's not true, he saves people." Amy said.**

**"If that's true than how people died just being around the presence of the Doctor."**

**Amy is silent. "You see the truth is Doctor your like me who tosses tools away when they have no purpose anymore and I think your going to allow more tools to be tossed when this is all over. Speaking of tools."**

Crona: As indignant speeches go, I've heard better…

**Hearing footsteps, Doctor and Amy turned around to see the Cybermen marching in three straight lines heading right towards them. Kid looking at the line called out, "Damn it! We can't fight this guy and them at the same time."**

**"Don't worry about them; me and Amy will handle them." The Doctor said.**

**Surprised Amy immediately asked, "How exactly are we going to 'handle them'?"**

**"Yeah…I'm working on that."**

Maka: Well, they're screwed.

Crona: To say the least…

**Everyone prepare to attack, with the Master shouting in the air, "It's dinner time!"**

Crona: So…he's going to eat them?

Maka: Apparently.

**Authors Notes:**

**I'm going to get a lot of hate mail for this.**

Maka: Gee, I can't imagine why! It's not like you essentially killed one of our friends _for no reason_!

**Black Star from behind throws a punch and Kid from the front fires his guns at the Master. Both attacks are blocked by the Master unleashing multiple black, skull shaped shadows surrounding his body. The Master immediately counterattacks against Black Star by fickly his fingers and sending him flying into the air. Stein dropping from above, about to slam the Master using the flat surface of the hammer, instead Stein slammed his hammer on the ground for the reason of that the Master step aside rather quickly. Than again from behind, Maka swigged her scythe in the bright glowing form of Witch Hunter, a technique sharper than a sword, at the Master. The Master not only stopped Witch Hunter dead in its tracks but also shattered it into little pieces and turning it back into its normal form just by using his hand as a shield.**

Crona: …definitely seen better fight scenes before…

**Maka rolled in front and out of the Master's range of attacks too roll next too both Kid and Stein. Annoyed, Kid grunted, "Damn it, not only he's using my father's body but he also has the same skills as him."**

**"If that's the case than a change of tactics will be necessary." said Stein.**

**"Whatever, it only means that Witch Hunter isn't enough." Maka said angrily.**

**"So we're going to use that technique?" asked Soul.**

**"Yes we are Soul."**

**Both Soul and Maka shout at the same time, "Genie Hunter!"**

Maka: UGH! Oh God, no! No! God, if you're going to use that, call it Majinn Hunter! Just…Genie Hunter? UGH.

**"Delete!" shouted all the Cybermen shooting at the Doctor, Amy, and Tsubaki who are hiding behind the TARDIS.**

**"Doctor, I think now is good time to fight them!" yelled Amy.**

**"Fight them?" puzzled the Doctor, "We're not going fight them, we're going to run and distract them from everyone else."**

**"How are going to do that in her condition?"**

**The Doctor looked at Tsubaki to reply, "Your right. Forget that plan…ha…we can't fight them and we can't run from them. Custard."**

Maka: …I'm just going to ignore that terrible attempt at a quirky curse word.

**"So how are we going to…" said Amy before she is stopped by a massive headache.**

**The Doctor seeing Amy with her hand on head in agonizing pain, he examines her head and asking, "Amy, what's happening to you?"**

**Yelling, Amy responded, "I don't know."**

Crona: She probably realized how confusingly stupid this fic was and got the same kind of headache we got…

**"Soul are you ready?" Maka asked.**

**Sitting at a piano wearing a black tuxedo, Soul replied, "Of course."**

**Tapping his fingers, pressing on the white keys, dark sounds bouncing off between the chords, Soul playing a dark song using the piano inside the Black Blood. The resonance of the dark song increased the soul's link between Soul and Maka, turning the scythe into the Witch Hunter than becoming an executioner's ax shape like weapon, Genie Hunter.**

Maka: A hundred times UGH!

**Witnessing the weapon's formation, the Master replied, "Uh that looks like something that can kill me?"**

**"Don't you ignore me bastard!" screamed Black Star jumping behind the Master with a fist ready to strike.**

**Forming a yellow barrier, the Master stopped Black Star throwing his punch. Shattered, the barrier is destroyed by Black Star's soul channeling through his fist. Black Star grinned landing on the ground while the Master turn to face him with an agitated face. "You're a pretty loud tool." The Master said.**

**Black Star vanished, Master surprised wonder what just happen, hears Maka yelling behind him. Quickly looked, Maka is feet away from slicing him using Genie Hunter. Realizing this, Master unleashed a bolt of blue lighting channeling through his body, blocking Genie Hunter acting like a sword. Maka putting all of her strength into breaking through the Master's lighting, the Master however replied, "Oh no I'm done for what should I do. Oh wait your noise is nothing like my drums."**

Crona: I'd ask if he's ever going to explain that drums thing, but that won't end well in any scenario…

Maka: You mean either they don't explain or we won't like the explanation?

Crona: Exactly.

**The Master shattered Genie Hunter than he closed his fist and ready to punch Maka. Before he could, Black Star grabbed Maka and took her with him out of the Master's range next to Stein and Kid. All surprised, Marie remarked, "Stein how can a man like him able to block Genie Hunter?"**

**"Because right now he's a grim reaper." Stein replied.**

**"I'm no grim reaper, tool." said Master, "I'm a time lord."**

Maka: Because that's _so_ much more powerful and all…

**"Amy listen to me, hear my voice." The Doctor said panicking.**

**"Doctor what's hap…in…ing?" cried Amy.**

**The Cybermen marching closer, Tsubaki pleaded gushing out blood, "You two…leave."**

**"I can hear it." Amy said.**

**"No we're not leaving you!" Doctor angrily shouted.**

**"I can hear your soul Doctor." Amy said calming, without feeling any pain.**

**Marching closer. "What are you talking about."**

**Marching closer. "I think this what Maka was talking about."**

**Marching closer. "What are talking about Amy."**

**Marching closer, Amy began to glow and glow becoming an orb of light. She continues to transform into something, an object. The Doctor took the object in his hands wondering what's happening.**

Maka: …oh you can't be fucking serious…

**Marching stopped, Tsubaki and the Doctor are surrounded by Cybermen all saying, "Delete."**

**"Way, way, way, wait a minute!" shouted the Doctor. "Do you know who I am?"**

**One Cyberman replied, "You are the Doctor."**

**"Yes that's right and that's right I'm giving you a choice, leave now and don't bother anyone else on this world ever again or you'll have to deal with me."**

**"You have no power to make demands, prepare to be deleted."**

**"Before you do that, there are two things you should know about me, one never trapped a group of people into a corner. Two, never trapped a group of people into a corner with me in it!"**

Crona: If it didn't work the first time, it wouldn't suddenly work now…

**The Doctor lifts his hand into the air pointing a sonic screwdriver at the Cybermen however this screwdriver is different than his other one. This screwdriver is long, black, with a crimson light blinking at the tip of it. It's Amy, as a weapon like Soul, Tsubaki and Marie. The Doctor used the screwdriver, shutting down each Cyberman one at a time. All the Cybermen around them are no longer moving nor saying anything. "What did you do?" asked Amy in screwdriver mode.**

**"Don't worry, I just turn them off." Doctor replied, "However you on the other hand become a sonic screwdriver…more powerful than mine. I guess the merge did more to you than just amnesia."**

Maka: …*head meets tray*

Crona: …so, what was all that about essentially staying the same despite being in another world? Or are we just ignoring that now?

**Doctor hears more Cybermen marching towards them. The Doctor asked, "Okay Miss Pond ready to take all the Cybermen and protect Tsubaki from them?"**

**Amy gleefully said, "Of course."**

**"So what now?" asked Kid to everyone else.**

**"I don't know." replied Maka than asked Soul, "Hey Soul, what did he mean his 'drums' is louder."**

**Soul replied, "I hear his soul's wavelength. It's loud ongoing sound of four beats and those beats have never been stopped in a very long time."**

Crona: …that's just lame.

**Lightning channel through his body, hands conducting the lighting, covering and surrounding his body of lightning; the Master spoke calming, "Doctor's tools, your noise is nothing compare to the sounds of war, sounds of agonizing pain, the sounds of madness itself." The Master lifted his hand towards the Meisters, "The sounds of a warrior that tell me to kill, kill, kill, kill you!"**

**Lighting soared though his hand and moving at incredible speed at the Meisters. All of them jumped away from the explosive impact in all different directions. Black Star charged at the Master and screaming "Shut up! Your just annoying bastard with a god complex!"**

Maka: …let's just leave that one alone.

Crona: Yeah…

**Black Star jumped in the air with fist ready to strike however the Master stopped and attack him with his lightning. "Like you're the one to talk, tool." Master replied.**

**Watching Black Star falling to the ground, Liz asked, "Hey Kid, what do we do now?"**

**Kid just sign, only to think, "What do we do? Genie Hunter doesn't work and his attacks keep on blocking us and attack us at the same time. With all that, not only his he fighting in a grim reaper body but he's also fighting with his skills from his world. This fight seems impossible to win."**

**Noticing a light glowing behind him, Kid turn around to see the familiar cracked wall on a side of house. Liz seeing the crack, confused she asked, "Hey Kid, what is that thing?"**

**Patty laughed and yelled, "Hey it's that weird looking smile!"**

Maka: …you know what? If you're going to make Patty like that, just don't have her talk anymore. That would actually be preferable.

**"Smile?" shocked Kid.**

**Remembering what everyone said, Kid looking back in what Soul said, 'just smile Kid. And don't worry; your dad will be alright' and what the Doctor said, 'only thing you need to know about it is that you never get to close to it or otherwise that crack will remove you from existence' connected the dots. Turning to all the Meisters, Kid shouted, "Guys I have a plan."**

**All the Meister's ran towards Kid including Black Star who quickly stood to his feet. Stein telling everyone, "Okay guys, we need Resonate souls with each other so that he doesn't hear us."**

**Everyone agreed than everyone merge their souls with each other forming a soul larger than their own and equal to the Master's.**

Maka: _That's not how Soul Resonance works, dammit_!

**Communicating thought the Souls, Stein asked, "So Kid what is your plan in defeating the Master."**

**"It's not complicated I just want you guys do one thing for me while I prepare for an attack." Kid said, "Can I can't on you guys?"**

Crona: …was that even a question?

Maka: That almost looks like it was done on purpose!

**"Who do you think you're talking to?" asked Black Star.**

**All the Meisters jumped in all different directions, Master confused. Both Stein and Black Star ran next both to Master's sides ready to strike. The Master stopped both of them with his lighting however they won't budge. Maka behind him, ready to swing the scythe downwards to slice him in halve. Again, the Master stopped Maka using his lighting. Looking at all three of them in pain, the Master marked, "That looks like it really hurts. We don't you just lay down like the tools you are?"**

**"Resonance stable, noise at 0.3%"**

**"This doesn't hurt one bit." remarked Black Star, "Especially when I felt worse pain when I saw a friend getting hurt by you!"**

**"Black Needles charge with Soul Wavelength"**

**Marie added, "Being a teacher I'll protect my students from people like you and people like you don't need to exist."**

**"Prepare to fire in five seconds."**

**Maka responded, smiling, "For a guy who says where nothing but tools. You sure depend on us don't you? And that's why we tools can beat our 'master'!"**

Maka: "And by the way, we're the obvious distraction!"

**"Fire!" shouted Kid, Liz, and Patty.**

**All the Meisters jumped away from the Master. An orb like missile instantly rushed towards the Master. Unable to block or escape, the missile impacted and exploded on his chest, blasting him through the air and crashing into a wall. The Master seeing all the Meisters standing next to Kid, the one who fired the missile with Death Canon. Smirking, Master said, "It takes a lot more than that to kill me."**

**"Who said killing you was our goal." Kid applied.**

**Shocked, the Master looked down to see that he is being engulfed by the strings of lights from the cracked wall he's laying on. Slowly the light dragged him into the cracked wall, only for him to laugh. The Master shouted, "You think you this will end everything? Me being…defeated…doesn't stop the merge. Once the merge is complete, I'll be back but I don't think most of your world isn't."**

Crona: I'm sorry, I have no idea what you just said. Is there any chance you could form a coherent statement this time…?

**The only thing left the light to dragged in is his mask, with him saying his final words, "Tell the Doctor, I win."**

Maka: David Xanatos you most certainly ain't, pal.

**Authors Notes:**

**Hope this is fight that everyone wishes, because I like it.**

Maka: Like _you_ would know what's good and what isn't…

**Surrounded by the motionless Cybermen; Maka, Soul, Kid, Liz, Patty, Stein, Marie, and Black Star met up with the Doctor, Amy and Tsubaki. Black Star sat next to Tsubaki, trying to comfort her in her pain. Looking at her, Amy walked up to the Doctor in tears, "Is their anything you can do, at all."**

Crona: Dramatic convenience says no.

Maka: Sucks to be her.

**Silent, the Doctor sat down while trying to hide his sadness. Soul seeing the Doctor's expression of hopelessness, he suggested, "Hey, let's just leave those two alone and so you can stop this merge."**

**Still depressed, the Doctor responded, "I can't."**

**"What do you mean…you can't?" Amy asked, shocked.**

**"It means that I can't!" screamed the Doctor.**

Maka: Again, they're screwed. Hope you guys enjoy non-existence!

**Everyone looked at the Doctor in suspense, immediately Black Star angrily shouted, "How can you save that? Tsubaki gave her life to save and in return all you can say is that you can't?"**

**"Black Star." whispered Tsubaki, "Please calm down."**

Crona: For someone who supposedly gave her life, she's being very talkative…

**"We defeated the Master wouldn't that stop all of this?" shouted Maka.**

**"Did you forget Maka?" Kid explained, "His defeat doesn't mean anything since it isn't the cause for this, but according to you his existence should be erased since we used that crack of light so none of this shouldn't be happening."**

Crona: …can you guys please stop giving such confusing dialogue? It only makes this worse…

**"It doesn't work like that." the Doctor said, "The Master used the same crack to make this all this happen and not to mention on the other side of that crack at this moment is the void. Even it did erase him from existence the universe would cooperate to make sure everything he did still happen even if he isn't around to do it."**

**Realization, Liz asked, "Wait a moment, why don't we destroy those towers that's making this merge happening?"**

**"We can't do that either because those towers is in a forth dimension which we can't get too."**

**Marie walked up to the Doctor, picked him up by the bowtie than screamed at him, "So your saying is that everyone is gone forever and theirs nothing we can do about it? So everything we did up to this point is for nothing and we should've just let this merge continue to begin with!"**

Maka: That sounds about right. Nice to know this entire story was utterly pointless.

**"No…of course not." the Doctor replied.**

**Bam, Marie slap him, slamming him too the ground. "Don't tell me what you can't do!" screamed Marie, "We're not some tools who wait around to see what happens. Maybe you gave up, doesn't mean I have to."**

Maka: Uh…not to complain, because I always enjoy seeing Professor Marie slap people around, but…that really didn't make any sense.

**She began to walk away from everyone but she stopped by Stein's words, "How exactly are you going to stop this Marie?"**

**"I don't know but anything betters than doing nothing!"**

**"And so right your are." The Doctor announced while getting back to his feet, "It's not over yet and your right, we gotta do something right. Okay, theirs something I'm missing but what is it that I'm missing, come on think. What did the Master say?"**

**Maka thinking, she said, "Well that only talked about how where just a bunch of tools."**

**"And also he talk about his never ending drum beat." added Soul.**

**"That's nothing new." commented the Doctor, "Those drums of been…"**

**The Doctor stopped; everybody looked at him in confusion. Than he shouted in exciement, "Of course how can I miss that, it's so obvious."**

Crona: …there it is again. That feeling that I'm not going to like where this is going…

Maka: I know exactly what you mean…

**"What is it?" asked Amy, "What's so obvious?"**

**"All these universes are being pulled in by a common frequency and we have to do is separate the differences of the universes and block out the common frequency."**

**"I don't get it." said Black Star.**

**"Okay I'll put it in these words, all the universes are the water inside the cup and we're breaking that cup."**

Crona: That analogy still doesn't make any sense…

**"Okay but how are we going to 'break that cup'?" asked Soul.**

**"Amy, Kid remember the song we heard in the TARDIS?"**

**"Yes." Amy replied.**

**"I heard it but no else did though." Kid applied.**

**"They didn't hear because they don't have hears like us**

Crona: …_wow_.

Maka: I agree.

**but the point is that it's not music but actually the frequency that's been combining these worlds together and we're going to do is stop that frequency."**

**"Okay but how?" puzzled Amy.**

**"Right now, theirs too many frequencies going on because the merge is creating many frequencies; most notably the Cybermen. You see we have to do is cut off the Cybermen's frequency so I can find and isolate the main frequency with the TARDIS."**

**"How are you going to cut off the Cybermen's frequency?" asked Kid.**

**"We're going to use the Madness Manipulation Machine for that."**

**"You can't be serious?" Maka demanded.**

Maka: Sadly, he clearly is. There's clearly no downside to this.

**"But I can't do it, so Stein I need you to do it for me since you know how to dissect things."**

Maka: Oh, even better! Have the person who's apparently still struggling with the madness be nearby while it's going on! What could possibly go wrong there?

**"What exactly do you need to dissect in order to make this work?" asked Stein.**

**"A Cybermen. More accurately you need to wire a living Cybermen to the Madness Manipulation Machine along with one of our necklaces. But the bad news is that the person that the Cyberman replaced properly won't come back."**

**Marie in anger said, "What your saying is that we have to…"**

**Black Star interrupted Marie; he pulled out necklace likes theirs out of this pocket and said, "I know the perfect Cyberman we can use."**

Maka: Wait…so Medusa really will be dead this time?

Crona: Apparently…

Maka: WOOHOO! *gets up, starts dancing and singing* Ding dong, the bitch is dead, which old bitch? The wicked bitch…

Crona: Those aren't the same lyrics…

Maka: No, but they _are_ appropriate!

**"Were did that come from?" asked Liz.**

**"Hold on, you say that you can't do it, why?" Kid asked the Doctor.**

**"Well in order for me to isolate the frequency I need to go back to my universe and compare the frequencies between our worlds." explain the Doctor, "Even then the only thing I can do is finding it; one person has to jam it from its original source."**

**Amy confused, asked, "Where is the original source?"**

**The Doctor looking at the cracked wall across the street, he said, "In the Void."**

**"But wouldn't the person who goes in there won't existence anymore?" worried Liz.**

**"Yes but the necklaces will keep you safe, just not for a long time though." expressed the Doctor.**

**"Then I'll do it." Soul said pointing to himself with his thumb.**

Maka: …wait, what?

Crona: …

**In shock, Maka sadly said, "What? Soul you can't."**

**"Why not?" angrily said Soul, "This frequency is just like a song isn't? I'm the only person here who can stop it; all I'll have to do is use my black blood. Doctor, just tell me what I have to do."**

Maka: *sits down* So, not only do you kill off Tsubaki for no reason, you're going to have Soul wiped from existence for the sake of a Heroic Sacrifice? I...I can't even find the words to describe how much I want you to _DIE_!

**Hesitating, the Doctor replied, "Just listen for the frequency and stop it by with the same frequency."**

**"What, theirs no way I'll let you go in there." cried Maka.**

**"Stop it Maka! I'm your weapon and I'm going to protect you no matter what even it's going into another world and play some song!"**

Crona: …you know, when he says it out loud like that, it sounds even more stupid than it already is.

**The Doctor looking at his wristwatch, said, "Okay we don't have a lot of time, we better do this now. Amy with me."**

**The Doctor tossed his sonic screwdriver to Stein saying, "Just point and press."**

**The Doctor entered the now fully powered TARDIS with Amy entering behind him angrily. Amy shouting at the Doctor, "You're just going to let him go on like this?"**

**Without saying anything, the Doctor flipped some levers, making the TARDIS shake. "He's giving up his life!" screamed Amy.**

Maka: And yet everyone except Blandy McStupid appears to be OK with this. Did I mention that I want this author dead?

**Outside, everyone watched the TARDIS disappear leaving behind flurry of winds. Stein turning his head to Black Star asked, "So Black Star, where is this Cyberman we can use."**

**Black Star looking at Tsubaki said, "It's the one in the Death Room."**

**Tsubaki demanding Black Star, "Black Star…we're going with them."**

**"No way! I'm not letting you move from this spot."**

**"The Doctor said that we needed…the Cyberman alive. And we're going to hold it…down while Professor Stein can do what…he needs to do."**

**"But Tsubaki…"**

**"This is going to be my final performance Black Star…and I want you to be there with my…on stage."**

Maka: …I'd find that really touching if I wasn't so pissed off at Tsubaki having to die for no real reason.

Crona: How is she dying, anyway…?

Maka: I have no idea. Maybe she's infected with a soap opera disease. Who knows?

**Black Star cried, looking at them, Soul replied, "Keep her safe Black Star and I'll stop this by playing Beat Four."**

**Kid hearing what Soul just said, he remembers his conversation earlier with the other Soul. Instantly, Kid said, "Play Verse Three instead Soul."**

**Confused, Soul asked, "Why Verse Three?"**

**Kid replied, "Three's more of an even number."**

Maka: You mean "symmetrical". There is a difference. In one case, this makes sense. In the one you're using, _it doesn't_!

**"Hold on Kid, what are you exactly are we going to do?" asked Liz.**

**"Well the Cyberman are still running around in this town. We're going to distract them while everyone else does their parts."**

**"I think it's time for you to do that, we can't stand around here talking." said Stein.**

**"Right. Liz, Patty."**

**"Yeah, yeah." Liz acknowledged, turning into a gun.**

**"Okay." Patty said turning into a gun.**

**After Kid obtain his guns, he jumped in the air throwing a ball of light in to the ground. The ball of light turned into skateboard, which Kid landed on. The wheels powerful like jet engines, blasted into the air. Looking at Kid taking off, Stein said, "Black Star, just follow us while we make our way to the Death Room. We don't want Tsubaki getting into more pain than she is in now. Marie."**

**Marie turning into a hammer said, "Right."**

**Black Star picked up Tsubaki, with her under both of his arms. Stein ran off to the DWMA with Black Star following him. Maka and Soul stayed behind, watching them running off.**

**In the air, Liz worried asked Kid, "Kid, is what we're doing right?"**

**Confused, Kid said, "What do you mean?"**

**"I'm mean is that we're doing nothing more than just being bodyguards. Shouldn't we be helping the others?"**

**"We are helping Liz. It's hard to explain but it seems that all of this should happen the way it wants to be played out."**

**"Says who Kid?"**

**"Soul." Kid replied.**

Crona: *yawns*

Maka: This is what happens when you don't sleep at night, Crona…

Crona: Th-That's not it…I always get like this when things get boring…

**Kid looking, he sees rows of Cybermen marching through the streets. Shouting, Kid said, "Get ready, we're going in."**

**Later; the Death Room, Stein stared at the only static figure in the room, the one Black Star defeated. Not satisfied, worried Marie asked, "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"**

**"Positive." Black Star unemotionally said.**

**Tsubaki said, "Black Star…I'm ready."**

**"That's good." commented Stein, "Because it's coming."**

**The figure like the others is being replaced with a Cyberman. Agony, Tsubaki painfully turned into a black sword for Black Star to wield. Crying, Black Star shouted, "Shadow Star!"**

**Tons of long tentacles popped out from Black Star's shadow. Wrapping themselves with it's arms, legs, head, and stomach, the tentacles captured the Cyberman; hanging it flat and spread out in the air. Stein pulling out a scalpel, walked next to the Cyberman saying, "It's time to dissect you."**

**In the streets, Soul and Maka standing a distance from the cracked wall, witnesses Kid dodging all the lasers shooting at them from the Cyberman.**

Maka: …*head meets tray*

Crona: It's the jumping around again, isn't it…?

Maka: _Yes_.

**Without seeing Kid anymore since he hid behind the buildings, Maka looked at Soul with an angry look. Soul in the corner of his eye sees Maka's face, took a step back fearing her. "H…hey don't look at me like that." Soul said scared.**

**"No!" Maka yelled, "I just don't understand why you have to sacrifice yourself!"**

**"Because Maka if I don't than everyone from our world will be gone forever, do you want that to happen?"**

**"Of course not but why does it have to be you?"**

**"Man, you're one big idiot. It's because like Tsubaki I'm the only one who can do it at the time. Besides I don't want that jerk of a Master too win."**

**"Than that's the case than as your Meister I'll join you."**

**"And as your weapon I don't want you to come! Anyone who goes in their, don't come back and I don't want that happen to you."**

**"But Soul…"**

**Maka being interrupted, Soul flicked Maka's forehead. "You idiot. You're the coolest partner and you don't know when to give up. Besides someone as to keep your father in his place." Soul sign.**

**Soul ran to the cracked light, jumping in. Shocked, feared, Maka yelled, "Soul!'**

Maka: …Crona, I want you to understand something.

Crona: Y-Yes?

Maka: You're one of my best friends…but if you ever do something like that to me, especially after delivering such a terrible goodbye like that, I _will_ kick your ass. Got it?

Crona: Y-Yes…

Maka: Good.

**Circuits connecting between the chest of the Cyberman, the necklace inside the Cyberman, and the Madness Manipulation Machine; Stein completed the project. Marie looking the equipment, she asked, "So is this going to work."**

**Lighting a cigarette, Stein replied, "Hopefully."**

**Confused, Black Star said, "So how do you turn it on?"**

**Stein pulled out the sonic screwdriver that the Doctor gave him, "With this."**

**He pointed the screwdriver at the Cyberman and pressed the button. The device turned on, a blue beam of light shot into the air with acting like a transmitter. Outside the Death Room, the Cybermen become transparent, unmovable, unthinkable figures standing motionless. Kid stopped moving around seeing the Cybermen, not doing anything. "Looks like they did it" Liz applied.**

**"Not yet." Kid added.**

**The Doctor messing around with the controls, sees on the monitor that the frequency of the Cyberman is cut off. Rejoicing, the Doctor shouted, "Way to go Frankenstein!"**

Crona: …hey, do you think Professor Stein was based off of the monster, or the doctor?

Maka: Both, though the monster part is just cosmetic. …and now I'm picturing Professor Stein walking around going "Urgh, urgh!" a lot.

Crona: S-Sorry…

Maka: No, no, it's actually a pretty funny image…

**Turning fowls, pulling levers, pushing buttons he locates the other frequencies and blocking them one by one. Seeing on the monitor, the Doctor located the main frequency fusing all the worlds together. Shouting, "Now front and center!"**

**Complete darkness, silent, nothing; Soul drift through the nothingness with eyes closed. In the Black Blood, at the piano he listens for the noise of the frequency. He hears it, raised his hands into the air and shouted, "Beat Four will take care of you."**

**Soul like a rock dropped his hands to slam the piano and play it. He stopped before he touched the keys, he listen again. Realizing, Soul said, "No that's not right. Verse Three will do instead."**

Crona: It's not like that wasn't made clear enough times or anything…

**The key pressed, the tone of the sounds poured out of neither of sadness nor madness rather the sounds of cheering. Faster the song went but not it didn't race the heart but rather calmed it. The higher notes didn't make a person scared but instead makes the soul feel warm.**

Crona: …why is he trying to describe music? It never works…

**The fast shaking, rough, hanging for life, the Doctor and Amy tried their best not to bounce around inside the TARDIS for their life depended on it. Slowly the TARDIS begins to calm down and calmer to the point where it moved motionless. Both Doctor and Amy stood up and looked around to see if anything is wrong. Amy looking at the Doctor asked, "So is it over?"**

**The Doctor walked towards the monitor and replied, "Lets see, the TARDIS still as power, the sun is a ball of gas, the moon doesn't have a face, theirs no detections of Cybermen, all stars are in the right place, but theirs only one way to find out."**

Maka: Hey, that sounds pretty concrete to me! Story over! The end! _Let us go home already_!

**The Doctor pulled a lever than the TARDIS again began to move. Amy puzzled asked, "Where are we going Doctor?"**

**Stopped, the Doctor ran outside with Amy following him out the doors to the middle of a hot, empty, desert. Amy just looked at the Doctor who he is looking at the ground while walking around. She asked him, "What is this place and what are you looking for?"**

**He responded, "This is the Nevada Dessert where Death City is supposed to be."**

**"Supposed to be?"**

**"Right, but everyone is all right if I can find…"**

**"Looking for this?" said a familiar voice holding out in their hand the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.**

**Kid, Liz, and Patty stood in front of the DMWA surrounded by fellow students and hearing people talking in the streets. Stein and Marie walked out of the DWMA meeting up with them and also Maka running up the stairs also meet them. Liz worried asked, "Is it all over?"**

Maka: *facepalm* …I want that to be the last one…but it won't be, will it?

Crona: Knowing how lucky we are with these…

Maka: *groan*

**Inside the Death Room, Tsubaki lied on the floor coughing out blood with Black Star crying holding her hand. "Come on Tsubaki, your spotlight isn't over yet." said Black Star, "You still got a crowd who's waiting for your performance."**

**Trying to speak, Tsubaki whispered, "Black Star…you're a good friend…can you tell my parents…"**

**"You tell them you're not going to die here."**

**"Tell them…I had the best friend in the world next…to me…so please don't…cry."**

**Tsubaki evaporated into the air like pedals blowing in the wind, leaving behind her soul. Black Star hugged the soul crying, saying, "Sorry Tsubaki."**

Maka: …I really do need to get to making that hitlist.

Crona: I'll help.

**The dessert, the Doctor grabbed his sonic screwdriver from Soul who is wearing a black tuxedo. Amy confused asked, "Soul, what are you doing here?"**

**Shrugging his shoulders, Soul said, "Well actually I'm not here, this is only an illusion of me."**

**"What are you talking about?"**

**"Well you see, I'm on the other side of that crack you see behind you and I'm just playing a song to communicate with you."**

**Amy and the Doctor turned to see the same radiating crack lying on the ground. Soul continued, "Like the Master, I used that thing to talk to Kid and tell him a few things that he might need to know, like telling him to make me play Verse Three."**

Crona: So, he can send these "messages" through time…?

Maka: Sure, why not, I don't care anymore, just let this end!

**"Not Maka or Black Star?" asked the Doctor.**

**"Well Maka would be angry and Black Star…he couldn't piece this together."**

**"Is that the reason your not talking to Maka instead of us?" asked Amy.**

**"Actually she completely forgot about me like everyone else. So there's no reason for me to talk to her since I shouldn't scare her.**

Maka: Asshole.

**Well this is goodbye and before I, Doctor for someone who is so smart you sure are an idiot."**

Crona: I forget, is there a saying for this too…?

Maka: Yeah. "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

**Soul vanished before their eyes, Amy crying asked the Doctor, "We did he have to go Doctor? I told Maka that a guy who is willing to protect them is guy who's worth keeping around."**

**"That's not how it works Amy." applied the Doctor, "See Amy he didn't toss his life away but instead he let other lives to go on. I don't know his reason, maybe he just loved them and don't want them to see get hurt."**

**Black Star walked to the tombstone of Tsubaki and placed a camellia flower on her grave.**

**"Maybe he did it because he felt that what he should do."**

**Kid looked over Death City, putting on the same mask as his father.**

**"Or perhaps he did it so the next generation can grow up."**

**Marie waved her hand at the students running off to their homes.**

**"Than again he could have did it so the people he saved can also save people."**

Maka: _AGH_! No more jumping! I can't take this shit anymore!

Crona: I-It'll be OK! We're almost done!

**Black Star walked up to Crona who is looking at the moon.**

Crona: …*head meets tray*

Maka: Wait, why is Black*Star going to meet with him?

Crona: I honestly don't think I want to know…

**"Than again he might did it because is instinct told him to do so."**

**Maka looked up at the clear blue sky, crying for an unknown reason.**

Maka: …*head meets tray*

Crona: …*reaches over, hugs Maka*

**"Amy he didn't give up his life no quite contrary he saved people lives so they can live. In fact do you know what Verse Three is?"**

**"No." Amy replied.**

**"It's a song written in 2876, the three verses are family, friends, and love; the reasons to fight for."**

**END**

Both: …*heads meet trays*

/

The lights slowly came on as Crona and Maka rested their heads against their trays, both thankful that it's over and incredibly exhausted at the same time.

"Crona?" Maka mumbled.

Crona just gave a slight "Mm" in response.

"Are all the long ones this tiring?"

Crona looked up, chin resting on his tray. "W-Well…the Inuyasha one I told you about was longer than this…but I'm not sure if it was worse than this…"

Maka looked up as well. "Oh, I'm willing to bet it was, since, in addition to killing off one of our friends and wiping the other from existence _for no good reason_, it was just needlessly confusing from all fronts. It was only made more so by the terrible grammar, which he was supposedly correcting, and the lack of emotion on anyone's part."

She then sat up, stretching back while doing so. "Geez…feels like we've been here for days…"

Crona sat up as well, yawning in response.

Maka frowned, turning to face Crona. "Crona, seriously…"

He blinked. "U-Uh…s-sorry…"

"Crona, I'm not mad, I'm worried. You haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately. I have noticed, you know."

Crona looked down, giving a small nod. "Y-Yeah…"

Maka placed a hand on Crona's shoulder. "Crona, is something bothering you? Anything at all? Come on, you know you can tell me…"

Crona winced slightly, thinking about his bad dreams, and what the cause of them was. _Should I tell her? I…I don't want to keep secrets from her anymore…not after all the things that happened every time I did. But…I'd have to bring that up again…I don't want to make her think about that…what do I do? What do I do?_

He started shuddering, the frustration bubbling up inside of him to the point where he wanted to scream or cry or just run away. But he felt Maka move her hand to his other shoulder, wrapping her arm around his back, and he knew that he couldn't run. That he shouldn't run. Not anymore.

"Crona…?"

"…n…nightmares…I've been having nightmares…"

Maka wrapped her other arm around his front, pulling him closer to her in another hug. "What about…?"

"A-About you…and S-Soul…and…th…th…_that_."

Maka blinked, a frown coming over her face. He didn't have to go any further than that. She knew exactly what he was talking about. She leaned closer to Crona, resting her head on his shoulder, squeezing him gently.

"Listen to me, Crona." she whispered. "Soul would never do that to me. And if he or anyone else ever thought of doing that to me, I wouldn't let them. You know that, Crona. You _know_ that."

"Y-Yeah…" he replied. "I do know that…really, I do…I just wish I could stop thinking about it…"

Maka felt Crona lean closer to her, and was thankful that he was starting to calm down a bit. And as the two of them stayed together, she gave a silent vow.

_If I ever find you, whoever you are…I swear, I will end you for hurting Crona._

/

Holy mother of God, glad that's done! Hopefully I won't have to do one that long for a while.

OK, next story is going to be a special one, and I really, really need you guys to come through for me. I need recommendations for stories specifically based on Soul. And I probably just told you why already.

Please note, that doesn't mean Soul has to be a part of a pairing or whatever. He just needs to be the focus. That said, _do not pick a Maka/Soul fic just because that's the pairing_. For what it's worth, I consider that pairing just as plausible as Crona/Maka. I just picked the latter because I like it. If you're going to send me a fic, send me one that's bad just because it's bad.

I have a couple of ideas as it is, but I'm still iffy on whether or not they'll work. So I really need your help with this.

Looking forward to your suggestions. See you soon!


	5. Story 3: The Class Cutting Kid

Well then, here's where things get interesting for those who haven't read my other fic. For those of you who have…well, you can probably already guess what's coming. Either way, I foresee hate mail.

I also ran into a bit of a snag with the story choice, so I decided to do something new: A double feature. Two fic reviews, one after the other, both with our "special guest". The first one is here, the next will come in the next chapter.

As always, thanks for the questions, and no, I don't own Soul Eater.

Time to go.

/

Crona honestly couldn't believe how quickly things had gone downhill.

Never mind the two weeks of happiness being interrupted by Maka's return to the theater. That wasn't so bad, and she had gotten accustomed to it surprisingly quickly. The nightmares still came and went, but actually talking about them with Maka made things a bit easier.

No, what really started the drop was Crona's last session. Subarashii had messed up badly, and it only pushed Raven further along to cracking. And Crona felt like absolute garbage because of it. He hadn't realized that she was scared of going through what he went through, and worst of all, he had no idea how to help her.

But worst of all, before he could even begin to think of a way around this, he and Maka had been called back, to be put in the worst situation possible.

He stared at the twin doors, his hands shaking even as he squeezed them together, trying to make them stop. He stole a sidelong glance at Maka, who was standing beside him, clearly more nervous than he was. Clenching and unclenching her hands, biting her lower lip…Crona couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her like this.

_Then again…who could blame her…?_ he wondered. After all, while he liked to think he was friends with that person, they weren't as close as that person was with Maka. Sure, Maka was Crona's best friend, but the two of them were partners. Fellow soldiers who worked together in battle. Either of them willing to take the bullet for the other, and had done so more than once.

He didn't like to admit it, but at times, it made Crona a little jealous.

"What is with you two, anyway? You're acting like we're about to go to someone's funeral."

They both turned to look at the fellow behind them. For Maka's partner in soul-hunting, one white-haired, red-eyed, shark-toothed Death Scythe by the name of Soul Eater, had been cordially invited to join them in their session for the day. It was how Maka was brought in. It was how the two of them had endured a torture the likes of which no one had expected.

And now, Soul was about to go through the same thing.

Soul looked between the two, noticing the grim, nervous expressions on their faces. "Seriously, what's the matter? I thought we were just going to see a movie or something."

Neither of them said anything, but Crona could tell that Maka was trying to speak. Whatever their "host" had done to them, they still couldn't tell Soul the truth. Once again, Crona couldn't do anything.

Soul moved forward, standing directly in front of them. "What? Is it a scary movie or something?" He then grinned, flashing his sharp, white teeth. "Come on, it can't be _that_ bad. And even if it is, I can handle it. A cool guy like me doesn't get scared that easily."

Maka sighed, clearly giving up on trying to explain. "Soul…can you just go on ahead?"

Soul turned to Maka. "Eh?"

"Just go in without us…we'll catch up in a minute…there should be a seat for you in the front row…"

Soul raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between the two.

"…is this a prank? What, am I gonna go in there and everyone's going to jump out at me or something?"

"Soul…please…" Maka whispered. "…I need to talk to Crona for a minute…"

Crona winced. _Oh no…she's going to ask me too…_

Soul frowned. "…oooooookay then…"

With that, Soul pushed open one of the doors and walked through, the door swinging shut behind him. After a few agonizing minutes, Maka looked at Crona.

"Crona-"

"I don't know…"

Maka blinked, surprised at his sudden response. "Eh?"

"I…I don't know what to do…this is the only other time this has happened so far…I have no idea how to deal with this…"

Crona was shaking violently, wringing his hands together as that sick feeling of helplessness overcame him again. "He's going to get hurt…one of my friends is going to get hurt and I can't do anything!..."

Maka walked over to Crona, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, feeling him shiver and shake and trying to not do the same. After a minute, she pulled back, hands on his shoulders so he could face her.

"We're leaving." Maka said. "We're grabbing him and we're getting out of here. We go back home and we never come back here again."

Crona blinked, mind reeling. Every part of him wanted to agree, to grab Soul and start running as fast as possible. But…something wasn't right.

"M-Maka…"

"Look, I know it's rotten of you to leave the others without saying goodbye. But…they'd understand, right?"

"Th-That's not it…"

Maka blinked. "…what is it, then?"

Crona fidgeted. It seemed like such a stupid thing to worry about, but he just couldn't stop wondering about it.

"What if…what if we just make _him_ angry by doing that…?"

Maka sighed, a frown coming over her face. "Crona, listen to yourself! This isn't some omnipotent god who can smite us at a moment's notice! He's just some psychotic TV executive!"

"B-But…he's really powerful, Maka…" Crona muttered. "He did things to our heads…we wouldn't know these things if it wasn't for him…how do we know he can't do worse…?"

Maka opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the one sound neither of them wanted to hear rang out from inside the theater.

Soul's scream of absolute horror.

"_NO_!"

Maka burst through the twin doors, Crona right behind her as they dashed down the stairs to the front row of the theater. There, Soul lay curled up in front of the table, open letter laying beside him.

"SOUL!" Maka cried out, dashing forward and kneeling beside him. Crona followed, kneeling down on his other side as Maka tried to get Soul to calm down.

"Soul…Soul, please, talk to me. Say something. It's gonna be OK, just say something to me."

Soul's breathing was coming in short, rapid gasps, and his eyes were wide and unmoving. Soon, after Maka begged him for a response in some way for a while longer, Soul finally spoke.

"G…Get…away…"

Both of them blinked in confusion. Crona noticed that Soul's hand was shaking a lot, even while laying at his side. Soul soon spoke again.

"B…Bl…Black…"

That was all the explanation needed. And it was more than enough to send Maka into a panic again.

"No, Soul! Stay with me! Do _not_ listen to him! Whatever he says, don't listen to it!"

"It…it makes sense…it makes sense in that it makes no sense…"

Crona looked back and forth between the two of them, completely lost as to what was going on. Soul's ramblings only meant that the black blood was getting more affective, but he had no idea what this "him" was.

Then, an image appeared in Crona's mind, of a little red demon, cackling away as Soul played a piano.

_Was that how…_ Crona wondered for a moment, as the other two continued shouting back and forth.

"Dammit Soul, you know better than this! You can't give in, _you can't_!"

"The piano's there…I want to play…won't have to think if I just play…"

Maka twitched. "That's it, I'm going in!"

"W-Wait a minute!"

Maka looked up at Crona, who was leaning over Soul, trying to get his attention.

"Soul, listen to me, OK?"

_Wait, what am I doing?_ Crona wondered.

"Soul, you have to make a room."

"A…a room?" Soul answered.

"Yes. You have to make a room in your mind."

"But…there's already a room…the checkerboard floor…the black walls…the piano's there…"

"No, _he_ made that room! You have to make this one!"

"…what kind of room…? What should it look like?"

"It doesn't matter! Anything! It could be a blank white box! Just make a room, throw him in there and lock the door!"

Soul simply stared up at the ceiling, the only sound coming from him being his breathing. Maka was staring at Crona, her expression one of disbelief.

"Crona…how did you…where did you come up with that?"

Crona looked up at Maka, suddenly very confused. _Where did that idea come from?_ he wondered.

"Uh…I just…I thought, if there was someone else…he needs to shut him out…he needs to take control…"

_That doesn't make any sense! Where am I getting this?_ Crona thought, though part of him wondered what difference it made, so long as Soul was alright.

It took a while, but soon enough, Soul blinked. His breathing slowly reduced to a normal rate, and before long, he spoke again.

"…holy shit."

Both Maka and Crona were leaning over him. "Soul? Are you OK?" Maka asked.

"Well…all things considered…yeah, I'm alright."

They both breathed a deep sigh of relief. Then, just as quickly, Maka grabbed the collar of Soul's jacket and started shaking him.

"_You friggin' idiot_! What were you thinking? You scared me half to death!"

"Th-The letter was addressed to me! What was I supposed to do, just ignore it?"

"You get invited to some random spooky theater and you start opening stuff? Have you ever watched any horror movie _ever_?"

"How the hell was I supposed to know it was a mind-shattering letter of pure terror?"

The two continued shouting, as was their typical way of expressing concern for the other. Crona looked to his left and noticed the letter in question, picking it up and reading it to himself.

_I am sorry for this._

_Soul Eater._

_That's all it takes…_ Crona thought. _Just say the name of the fandom and he learns everything…_

Whether it was from the information or his own memories, Crona didn't know, but right then, he started to think about everything that had happened so far. In particular, everything he'd done. And as he looked at the meister and weapon pair, one image in particular stayed in his mind.

The image of him bringing Ragnarok down, slashing across Soul's chest as he dived in to save Maka.

Crona crumpled the letter reflexively. _Why…?_ Crona thought. _Why do they…why would they…_

And as he stared down at the ground, his guilt slowly overwhelmed him. Before he could stop himself, a small sob escaped from his throat. Which was all it took for Maka and Soul to stop arguing, to turn and look at Crona.

"Crona…? Crona, what's wrong…?" Maka asked him.

"This…this is my fault…"

"Crona-"

"_It is_! _It is my fault_!"

Looking back on that moment, Crona would be shocked and surprised to find that he had somehow found the nerve to actually _yell_ at Maka. But, right then, everything just came spilling out. He raised his head to look at them, tears already pouring down his face.

"It's my fault you have to deal with the black blood! It's my fault you guys keep getting hurt! It's my fault you both went through this!"

Soul blinked, turning to look at Maka. "Both?"

Maka ignored him. "Crona, you had to deal with this too-"

"It should've just been me!" Crona interrupted. "I'm the only one here who did anything wrong! _I deserved this_!"

Crona's head turned back down, loud sobs and hiccups coming from his mouth.

"I just…I don't want you to get hurt anymore…"

For about a minute, Crona's sobs went uninterrupted. Then, Crona felt someone grabbing onto his shoulder. He looked up to see Soul staring at him, a sympathetic look on his face.

"Hey." he said. "That's enough of that."

Soul slowly got himself up to a sitting position before moving his hand away from Crona. Maka placed an arm around his back to support him.

"Look." Soul continued. "I can't promise that we're never going to get hurt. That'd just be stupid. But I can promise you that, whatever really _is_ your fault, we already forgave you for it a long time ago."

Crona sniffled. "How…? How can you do that…?"

"Because…" Maka added with a reassuring smile on her face. "That's what friends do, Crona. They forgive each other."

Crona stared at the two of them, surprised that they were both smiling at him. _Why…? They should hate me right now…_

"B-But…I don't deserve-"

"Geez, man, are you serious?" Soul interrupted. "How can you go on a tirade like this literally seconds after you _saved my life_?"

Crona blinked. "I…what…?"

"You. Saved. My. Life." Soul repeated. "If it hadn't been for you and your little plan, I'd have given in to the black blood completely."

Crona stared at Soul in disbelief. "B-But…I didn't-"

"But nothing. That's exactly what you did. So quit kicking yourself and just accept it when I say "thank you"."

Soul had to hide a laugh as he saw Crona's jaw drop slightly. _New experience for him, I guess._ he thought.

"Th-thank me…?"

Soul sighed as he pointed at his own chest. "If it makes you feel any better, you can consider us even on this."

Crona stared at Soul for a short while, processing everything he was just told. Afterwards, he lifted one his hands and rubbed the tears from his eyes, giving another sniffle.

"S-Sorry…"

Soul sighed as he slowly got to his feet. "Don't worry about it."

Maka frowned, not moving. "Soul…?"

"It's fine. I'm just gonna need a minute, is all."

With that, Soul wandered over to his seat, one beside Maka's usual seat with a piece of paper on it that read "special guest", and sat down, leaning back and letting out a breath.

Maka gave a concerned look at Soul, before turning to look at Crona. She noticed that his eyes were a little puffy from crying, and that he was still shaking a little. Without another word, she inched closer to him and wrapped him up in another hug, squeezing him as tight as she could.

"M-Maka…?"

"You're a good friend, Crona. Don't ever think otherwise. You proved that you are."

Crona was overwhelmed by this. Not only did Maka still want to be his friend, but she thought _he_ was a good friend? That he was good at anything, for that matter?

Slowly but surely, Crona's arms wrapped around Maka, and his face fell into her shoulder. "I'm gonna cry again…I'm gonna cry again and I don't know how to deal with that…"

Maka gently rubbed his back, quietly shushing him while he calmed down. The two of them stayed that way for a while, one comforting and one being comforted, yet both happy with being so close to the other.

"Um…I hate to interrupt…."

Both of them looked up, turning to look at Soul, who had a small smile on his face. "But could one of you maybe explain just what we're doing here?"

The two of them let go of each other (albeit very reluctantly on Crona's part), and Maka smiled apologetically at Soul, blushing a bit. "Yeah, sorry…"

Maka then got up and walked over to her seat beside Soul, while Crona stood near the table, picking up the other letter sitting on it and opening it.

"See, basically we're supposed to read bad writing by fans of…well, us, and comment on it." Maka explained as she sat beside Soul.

"People write about us?"

"Oh yeah. And we get to see the worst of it."

Soul sighed. "It can't be _that_ bad…right?"

Maka stared at him, expression grim. "Soul, trust me, you have _no_ idea. I've seen things that have actually made my skin crawl in revulsion. And Crona's been at this longer than I have, and the things he's told me…"

"Wait…Crona's been doing this before you?"

"Yep."

"…so this is where he's been spending his weekends, huh?"

"Something like that."

Soul frowned, a question suddenly coming to him. "So…why didn't you guys tell me?"

Maka looked away, eyes off to the side. "I…I wanted to tell you, Soul. Really, I did. I just…I just couldn't…"

Soul sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you know you can come to me if something's wrong-"

"No, that's not what I meant." she interrupted, looking at him again. "I mean I literally couldn't tell you."

"…wait, what?"

"Our…"host", whoever he is, did something to our minds. Whenever we need particular information, it pops up in our heads. I'm guessing when he did that to us, he also made it so we couldn't tell anyone who is "outside" of this."

"So…when I read the name…"

"Yeah…it happened to me and Crona too…"

Soul looked between the two, clearly shocked. "…you mean you guys went through that…when did this happen?"

"A couple of weeks ago, actually…guess we did a pretty good job of hiding it, huh?"

Soul looked back at Maka, a sarcastic smile on his face. "Well, gee, considering I hardly saw you two…"

"You saw us! And besides, what's wrong with two friends spending a lot of time together?"

"Nothing, nothing…I just wondered if you two starting dating."

Maka gave a loud sputter, which was matched by one coming from Crona, though he didn't turn around to look at the two. Maka glared at Soul, face bright red.

"Don't just say stuff like that, Soul!"

"Calm down, I was kidding! Really, it's cool, no problem at all."

Maka turned away from Soul, face still red. Soul let her fume for a little bit, before looking at her again, expression serious.

"So, I'm guessing this means I can't tell anyone either?"

Maka sighed. "No…no you can't…"

"…well, at least it'll only be this one time, right?"

"That's what it was supposed to be for me…"

"…well, it'll be short, right? I mean, bad writing is usually pretty short, right?"

"Um…about that…" Crona muttered.

Soul looked up to see Crona handing him a letter. He noticed his face was still slightly red.

"You're probably gonna be here a while…"

Soul took the letter from Crona and started reading.

_Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to apologize once again for what you had to endure, Soul. However, you can take a small comfort in the promise that this will be the only time you have to do this._

_Unfortunately, there was a bit of a snag with your story for this. I found two in particular that I felt would…give the best results. The problem was that they both felt very incomplete on their own, both missing something crucial to put them over as how bad they truly were._

_So, for the first time ever in either grouping, you will watch a double feature. The first is called The Day We Cut School, by anonymous anime fan, and the other is called love and friendship by justmyluck247. I can safely say you will enjoy neither one._

_Good luck._

Both Maka and Soul stared at the letter, Maka's face one of disbelief. "_Two_?"

Crona sighed as he walked over to his seat. "Y-Yeah…this is new to me too…"

Soul blinked. "Wait, "either grouping"? What does he mean by that?"

Maka sighed. "Oh, yeah. I'm not always here. Sometimes Crona does this with two other people."

"Anyone I know?"

"Definitely not. They're…well, they're not from around here."

Maka turned to look at Crona, who was busy staring at the rather large pile of letters in his arms.

"Whoa! Crona, are those for us?"

"Y-Yeah…I've never had this many before…"

Maka picked out the ones addressed to her as Crona took his seat. Soul leaned over as she opened her first one.

"Wait, what're those, anyway?"

"Oh…fanmail."

"…really?"

"Yes, really. Now, do you mind? I'm trying to read."

_Do you play videogames? If so whats your favorite?_

"Eh, not really. I can never get into them."

Soul grinned. "Aw, come on, I thought we had fun with that one fighting game I got."

"Soul, you never gave me a chance to learn the controls!"

"…guess it was just fun for me, then."

_What is the happiest memory you have of Spirit?_

"…when I can think of one, I'll let you know."

Soul sighed as Maka opened her next letter. _No point arguing that subject with her…_

_both the cracks in time and space plus the drumbeats the master hears are all cannon how does that feel?_

"I _really_ don't care, so long as I don't have to go through something that confusing again."

Soul frowned. "…what the hell is he talking about?"

"Last story. I'll explain later."

_how exactly do you do a maka chop?_

"Sorry, trade secret. Only those worthy of the book may learn it."

Crona titled his head. "So…it's a secret that's been passed down the Albarn family for generations?"

"I wouldn't know, but it probably-…Crona, are you _sparkling_?"

"Wh-What?"

"…never mind."

_what's it feel like to resonate souls?_

"…how in the hell do I explain something like that? That's just…I don't even know where to start!"

Maka sighed as she opened her last letter. "I really wish these questions wouldn't get so probing…"

Crona shuddered. "Y-Yeah…but I guess that's the downside to having fans…"

_What is your favorite ice cream flavor?_

"Mint chocolate chip."

Soul blinked. "…that hardly seems probing."

"Yeah, sometimes we get nicer questions like these."

_If you could go anywhere in the world for vacation, where would you go and with who?_

Maka smiled, putting one arm around Crona's shoulders and the other around Soul's. "What do you guys say? Round trip around Europe?"

Soul grinned. "Sounds like a blast."

Crona simply nodded, blushing slightly.

_Do you write poetry often? Can you show us an example of your poetry? And do you do anything else artistic?_

"Whoa, whoa, uh-uh. That's private. For my eyes only."

Soul grinned. "They're terrible, aren't they?"

"Oh, shut up."

_I remember Soul saying you love Trance Fusion, do you have any specific songs you like or any examples of what you like?_

"Um…actually, I've kind of lost interest in them. I guess I'm just not much of a music lover."

Soul chuckled slightly as Crona opened his first letter. "Nice to know you're getting some taste."

"Let me reiterate: _shut up_."

_If you were allowed to kill ANYONE in the world, even those who are dead right now, who would it be?_

Crona stared at the letter for a short while, shaking a little while doing so. Soon, he gave an answer.

"…what's the point in killing the same person more than once…?"

Maka reached over and gave Crona another hug, squeezing him gently.

_If you had to raise a Mortal Kombat character turned baby, who would you rather take care of? Shao Kahn or Ermac?_

"…I think this may be the strangest question I've ever been asked."

Then, that distinctive _splortch_ is heard as Ragnarok uncurls from Crona's back, leaning over and reading the letter.

"Hey! Pick the second one! The second one!"

"Y-You're just saying that because he's made of multiple souls and you want to eat him…"

"Yeah, so? It's either that or raise up a future emperor of pure evil, and there is no fucking way I'm gonna get betrayed by my adopted child!"

"…but eating it is OK?"

_WHAP_!

"OW!"

"Shut up!"

Maka glared at Ragnarok as Crona opened his next letter. "Can you go one day without inflicting some sort of physical pain on Crona?"

"Hey, you never going away has cut down severely on our personal time! I have to make it up somehow!"

_is free really immortal?_

"I…guess?"

Soul frowned. "Why is he asking you about Free?"

"I don't know…I never really talked to him or anything…"

_what eactly steon suppose to be teaching?_

"Biology…maybe?"

_who's the better cook maka or soul?_

Crona looked at both Maka and Soul, who were looking at him with expectant smiles on their faces. After a few seconds, Crona turned to look at the big screen.

"Maka. Hands down."

"YES!" Maka cheered.

"Aw, come on!" Soul groaned. "I call bias!"

"Soul, the only thing you know how to make is instant ramen!" Maka retorted.

"And it's the best damn instant ramen ever made!"

_which of of the 3 fics i have submited is worse to you: may's trial, teenage dream, or cybersoul?_

"…CyberSoul. Easily."

_if maka is angry because of part of that last question will you please calm her down and tell her i'm sorry?_

Maka huffed. "Oh, well, that's nice! These people assume I'm some loose cannon that's liable to go into a rage at the slightest notice! How do you like that?"

There was silence for a few short minutes, as Maka looked expectantly between the other two. Finally, she gave a small grumble.

"Guys…this is where you're supposed to jump to my defense."

Two quick yelps of surprise later, and both were facing Maka, sheepish smiles on their faces.

"Oh, of course you're not a sociopathic loose cannon, Maka! That'd just be silly to think that!" Soul answered.

"Y-Yeah! I-I thought that just went without saying!" Crona added.

Maka rolled her eyes as Crona opened his last letter. "Boys…"

_What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?_

"Vanilla…wait, didn't Maka just get this question?"

_If you could go anywhere in the world with Maka for vacation, where would it be and what would you do?_

Crona blushed as he glanced over at Maka. "Y-You wanted to visit Japan…right?"

Maka smiled. "I'm sure we can swing by there after our Europe trip."

Soul smiled slightly, then blinked. _Wait…why did it specifically mention Maka there?_

_Boxers, briefs or freeballing? And why?_

Soul honestly wondered if Crona's face could get any redder. He looked down, trying as hard as possible to hide his face as he dropped his letter.

"Crona, look, there's no need to get embarrassed." Maka assured him. "Sure, it's a tad on the perverse side, but everyone has to-"

Maka then paused as information started entering her mind, answering the posed question. Her face then matched Crona's in shade, causing her to look down as well.

Soul frowned. "Uh, is there something I'm missing here? Why the-"

Said information then arose in Soul's mind as well, answering the question for him. He placed a hand over his mouth, covering his smile, while he reached into his pocket and handed something to Crona.

"Here…present for you."

Crona took a small card from Soul, holding it up and reading it.

It simply said "Member of Freeballers Anonymous", with a space for a picture beside it.

"You can report to President Black*Star when you're ready." Soul explained, still trying to not laugh.

"_MAKA CHOP_!"

He then stopped worrying about that, and focused more on nursing the book-shaped dent in his skull.

"_Dammit Soul_!" Maka cried, face burning beet red.

Crona tossed the card away, and was, for once, thankful that the promised double feature started right then.

/

**I've been digging through my computer and have found so many different stories I wrote a while ago, like a month or so. I thought I'd post this one. It has been edited since it was last written and it may still have grammatical errors, if anyone cares that is.**

Crona: We probably will…

**Anyway this is my first Soul Eater fic, and so do not get upset if they are out of character.**

Soul: …he's kidding, right?

Maka: Sadly, probably not.

**It is a Yaoi,**

Maka: …ohhhhh dear.

Soul: Wait…does that mean what I think it means?

Maka: Yep.

Soul: …ohhhhh dear.

**but is told from different POV's,**

Maka: Oh just _wonderful_. Because that always works so well.

Crona: *twitch*

**not just our couple Soul and Kid.**

Soul: …wait, _what_?

Maka: …*snerk*

Soul: Hey, this isn't funny! I mean, _Kid_? Really?

Crona: …I don't know why, but I feel oddly sympathetic towards you right now, Soul.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Eater characters, not do I own any of the songs used in this fanfiction unless otherwise stated,**

Soul: Oh, great, songs in written form. That's always a good idea.

*SELF-DEPRECIATVE HUMOUR AWAY!*

All: WAH!

**but I do own this story's plot. If I did own Soul Eater, I would not be writing a FANfiction right now.**

Crona: Sadly, he technically has a point…

Maka: Technically, it doesn't matter.

**The Day We All Cut School **

**LIZ…**

**I sighed as Kid stopped; in fact he had completely frozen. **_**5, 4, 3, 2, and… **_**Kid was speeding into his room at light speed yelling "I think one of the pictures in 2 centimeters to far to the left."**

Soul: Well, at least Kid's in character. For the most part.

Maka: Yeah, but there's something oddly familiar about this…

**Patty was rolling on the floor laughing her ass off and I just had to sigh. We were late for school, four hours late, again. If I know kid, he's going to insist we cut the whole day, as he would want to arrive eight hours after he were supposed to if we're late. The school day is exactly 8 hours long.**

Crona: …going by that logic, why does he go to school at all?

Maka: Maybe he just wants an excuse to hang out with us?

**I sighed again, noticing that patty was trying to tape her eye lids open while stifling a sneeze.**

**"Patty, I explained this to you at the begging of the year, you shouldn't try taping your eyes open while you sneeze…"**

Soul: …that seems familiar too…

Maka: Hey, wait a minute! He's just copying things wholesale from the actual story! How much of a hack can you be?

**TSUBAKI…**

**I giggled as Black Star struggled to say what he wanted to. He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he looked into my eyes.**

**"Ummm, uhhh.. Tsubaki would you go out with me, the awesome Black Star?" He said.**

Maka: …took him long enough.

Soul: Wait, what?

Maka: Oh, come on, she's clearly interested in him, he's clearly interested in her, one of them needs to do something, and I should really stop talking now because I'm starting to sound like a rabid fangirl.

Soul: …starting to?

Maka: _Shut up_.

**I smiled out how he asked me out and still managed to praise himself.**

Crona: Would he really do that…?

Soul: Trust me, he totally would. I'm just surprised it worked.

**"Of course Black Star." I had always thought he was cute. Suddenly I heard a loud rumbling coming down the street, and out of habit, I moved Black Star away from it. Just as I excepted, it was something unusual.**

**Blair was driving Soul's motorcycle, with Soul unconscious on her back. She had a huge smile on her face and their was a large bump on Soul's head. The only thing I could think of was that he had done something especially irritating and suffered Maka's wrath. I pity him.**

Maka: Pssh. Baby.

Soul: Hey, those chops hurt!

Maka: That's the _idea_.

**"Some, let's go on our date! You won't regret it Tsubaki! Trust the almighty Black Star!" Black star shouted as he puled me deeper into town towards where he planned our date.**

Soul: "And by that, I mean walk off-screen and never be seen again! Hopefully."

**BLAIR…**

**"Poor Scythe boy, I didn't see you as the type to swing that way. You should have let Maka down much easier." I said to comfort the barely conscious Soul.**

Maka: …wait a second, what? I beat him up because he "led me on"? …_seriously_?

Soul: …why do I suddenly have a smashing headache?

Crona: That comes and goes…usually after beating your head on the tray.

Soul: Is that what those are for? That's convenient.

**Ah, why did such a cute scythe boy have to be gay? Ah, oh well, I'll have to help him with his little crush, after I get him far enough away from the crazed, heartbroken bookworm with a 2-ton book.**

Crona: …"crazed, heartbroken bookworm"?

Maka: Well, _someone_ certainly has a high opinion of me.

**I slammed on the brake and stopped the motorcycle in an alley beside Chupa~Chabra's. I nudged Soul awake; proding him until he woke. His eyes flickered open and I was tempted to hug him, but I need him awake.**

Soul: Is she trying to say I'd pass out because she hugged me?

Crona: But…why would you if you were gay…?

Soul: Maybe she's referring to her giant, suffocating boobs?

Crona: …oh…right…

**"Oh, sycthie boy! Why din't you tell me your were gay?" I asked curiously. I don't really care if he likes boys, I just want to know why he didn't tell. All that time, wasted, flirting with a gay guy. Not that it wasn't fun or anything.**

**"I thought that you wouldn't care, and that you wouldn't stop flirting with me anyway." Soul said, he was still barely awake.**

**"Why did you react like you liked Blair then?" I said, a little upset.**

**"I didn't finally accept it myself until recently." Soul mumbled.**

Soul: Wait, _what_? How can I just _pretend_ to react the way I do around Blair? You can't just _pretend_ to get nosebleeds! The human body doesn't work that way!

Maka: Why _do_ you get nosebleeds around Blair so much? Kid, Black*Star, and Crona don't act that way.

Soul: No, Crona just passes out whenever Blair pops up.

Crona: *heavy blush*

Soul: Besides, maybe if you had a better figure, I could get used to seeing nice women.

*MAKA CHOP!*

**I nodded, deciding I best let him rest. I'm proud that he was brave enough to come out at 16. And that he didn't even try to fight Maka back because he see's her as a friend, probably more like a sister.**

Soul: I _let her_ beat me up? Just…really?

Maka: Besides, I wouldn't react _that_ badly if he was seeing someone, gay or not. I'd be annoyed that he didn't tell me sooner, but that's about it…

**"Well I know what would make you feel better! Let's go see OCD Boy!" I shouted, in hope of getting him out of his depression. He looked at me with the "don't call him that" look. I smiled at him and shoved him back onto the motorcycle. I hoped on.**

**"Buckle up, Blair is on a mission!" I shouted with a fist in the air. I flipped my hair and drove off towards OCD Kid's mansion. Good thing that Blue Hair's prank got everyone out of school early today or I would be having this much fun right now!**

Maka: Prank? You mean the one you're never going to mention, despite it probably being more interesting than whatever hackneyed romance plot you have planned for this?

Crona: …have you been reading ahead?

Maka: Yeah, sorry. Force of habit.

**PATTY…**

**"I'm gonna break your friggin' neck!"**

**"I broke it!" I held my dead giraffe in the air proudly. Stein and returned our test today. I got 2 points for my giraffe so I decided to practice and do that on all the tests. I'm already doing better in school!**

Soul: Way to not try at all, author…

**I heard Kid shouting about symmetry and starting laughing.**

**I suddenly have an idea! I could teach Kid how to make the giraffe's do he won't have to worry about making his name symmetrical! It's perfect, and Kid would do better in school too!**

Maka: …let's just chalk that up to childish innocence rather than flat-out stupidity…

**I ran up the stairs to find Kid measuring a painting. I walked around everything, making sure to stand up "symmetrically" and to not touch anything in fear of accidentally moving it a centimeter. I stood there waiting for Kid to notice me. He won't listen to what I have to say if I bug him!**

**"Kid, I wanna teach you how to make the giraffe! Then you'll do better on your tests!" I shouted startling Kid.**

**He ignored me and went back to the painting. I noticed it was a picture of the group, with him and souls in the front, not a painting. He's never put up pictures before.**

**"You like Soul! Don't you Kid?" I shouted again, scaring him again.**

Crona: …wait, how would she get that if they were just standing together in a picture? That's a bit of a leap…

Maka: I'm sure it's just the childish personality of Patty's to jump to conclusions that lead to teasing.

Soul: …and yet she's apparently right in this fic.

Maka: Can you please just let me think Patty isn't an idiot in one of these fics?

**He looked at me with a big blush on his cheeks. "N-no."**

**I smiled, a huge smile. "You like Soul! You like Soul!"**

**"Stop it Patty!"**

**"You like Soul! You like Soul!"**

Maka: See?

**"Hey guys, come down here!" Liz interrupted my teasing, no fair.**

**SOUL…**

**I was barely awake when I saw Kid's horrified expression at my condition. I tried to smile and act cool, but I didn't have the energy. I passed out moment after Blair and the other's set me down on the couch in the mansion's living room.**

Maka: Oh, _come on_. I wouldn't have hurt him _that_ badly!

Crona: Overly dramatic, non-specific injuries…this sounds familiar…

**KID…**

_**Oh my …. Dad, let him live! SOUL!**_

Soul: Geez! Overreact much, Kid?

**"Soul, what's wrong with Soul?" I shouted at Blair who had brought him here. She looked at me.**

**"Well, Maka beat him up for leading her on. He came out of the closet is the shortest way to explain it. Blair brought him to you cuz he asked me to." She said.**

**I looked at soul and adjusted his position to one that looked more comfortable. And one that was more symmetrical.**

All: Of course…

**He's gonna be fine. He's been through worse and lived. I looked around, noticing everyone had left. I tilted my head to the side in confusion, why would everyone leave him alone.**

Maka: Gee, lemme think…

**He needs help. Maka's really done a number on him.**

**"Soul wake up, come on… don't die… I-I Love you."**

Maka: …*bursts out laughing* You mean I actually beat him up enough to put him in critical condition? Because he came out of the closet to me? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Don't you think so, guys?

Others: *not laughing*

Maka: …guys?

**I have no rambling for today, so just enjoy the story containing characters I do not own.**

Soul: Not even if you paid me.

Crona: Or if my life depended on it.

**THE MONTHS KID CUT SCHOOL**

Maka: _Months_? Oh, come on, this is just stupid!

**BLAIR…**

**Poor scythie boy, he all beat up in the hospital. That shiningami kid has stayed with him the whole time though, and when he wakes up for those few moments he always smiles at the sight of shinigami kid. I decided to listen to him for once and not call his crush OCD boy.**

Soul: Oh, yeah, that's a real terrible nickname. It's not like you give nicknames to everyone you know or anything.

**Maka has visited him once, but she was violently removed from the area by Liz and Patty. I went to check on her, and to fire a pumpkin cannon at her for hurting the precious scythie boy.**

Crona: *twitch* This is all so wrong I don't even know where to start…

**Oh, it's just like Romeo and Juliet.**

Maka: Huh? How do you figure?

**The two sweet boys forbidden to see each other; scythe boy's family had a freak-out when they learned he was gay.**

Maka: Oh, of course they did! We wouldn't want people to be OK with a gay relationship! That'd just take away the drama!

**Shinigami Kid told me that Scythe boy's older brother would be coming, Wes.**

Soul: *facepalm* Wonderful. That's all I need…

**I wonder what he looks like. Maybe he's even cuter than Scythe boy.**

Soul: *grumbles* Gee, why not just ask every girl he's ever met…? I'm sure they'll have plenty of stories to tell you…

**LIZ…**

**Kid's a mess. He doesn't even obsess over symmetry anymore.**

Maka: Gasp! Say it isn't so! Kid worrying about something besides symmetry for more than five seconds! Clearly something is wrong here!

**I can't believe it, but I miss it. His constant freak-outs and overdone explanations on symmetry.; I miss it so. Kid never leaves Soul's side as he recovers. Soul's is able to stay awake for long periods of time now, which is making Kid happy. They're obviously together. I'm worried though, Shinigami-sama never seemed like the type to accept this. They haven't told him yet.**

Maka: …wow. Death himself, a force of nature and one of the primal beings of the universe, has a problem with his son being gay. …I'm stunned at how stupid this is. I really am.

Crona: And besides, Lord Death never seemed like much of an unaccepting type…wait, did this person write _Lord Death_ out of character…?

Maka: That takes some serious balls.

**BLACK STAR…**

**"Come one Soul, just get outta that bed and exercise! You'll be better in know time!" I shouted, hoping my awesome advice would help Soul. He's gotten a lot thinner, he's been living off those IV things for the past month, since Maka beat him up.**

Crona: …is it weird that I have this sudden urge to hit something?

Soul: Nope, I've got it too.

Maka: …guys, come on, it's not that big a deal! Really!

**Maka's been rather distnt lately too, she's tried to apologize, but she ran after getting hit my Kid's wrath. More like she was saved by Liz while Patty and I held Kid back. It was kinda funny.**

Soul: Huh. How odd. _I'm not laughing_.

Crona: I'm saving my laughter for when I find the author and decide to take a page out of Professor Stein's book…

**I haven't been able to go out on dates with Tsubaki often; it sucks. Because Kid refuses to attend school and Maka is unable to with Soul, all the meisters and weapons are getting more missions. The harder ones that only those two would have been able to do are so hard, of course for anyone other than me that is. I know what's it like to destroy a pyramid now, of course they would forgive the mighty Black Star.**

Maka: And now he's moving moments from the story onto different characters. Yeah, it's still a hack move, author!

**Soul actually stood up. I'm surprised, only I should be able to do this well.**

Soul: Bitch, please. I could take your ass in a fight any day and you know it.

Maka: …"take" his ass?

Soul: Oh, shut up.

**Maka's rampage harmed his nervous system and made it hard for him to move.**

Crona: …*pulls out a notepad, starts writing* "Harming the nervous system"…have to figure out how to do that…

Soul: Try electrocution.

Crona: Ooh, yeah, that could work…

Maka: …guys, really, it's sweet that you're defending me like this, but I'm not upset or anything…

Soul: That's fine, 'cause we are.

Crona: "Upset" doesn't begin to cover it…

**I feel bad for him, but I took the biggest hit. Only Tsubaki ever pays me attention anymore.**

Soul: Oh, yeah, sucks to be you. Nice to know one of my best buds is more concerned with getting laid than about how I'm doing in the hospital.

Crona: …how is it we get a Black*Star who's more focused on himself right after we got one focused on friendship?

Maka: Bad luck, I'm guessing.

**WES…**

**I was absolutely astonished. My little brother, dating the son of the god of death. It seems like some twisted rumor, I wouldn't believe it if they weren't standing before me, holding hands. That's what mother and father were furious about.**

Soul: I can safely say I would not give a fuck.

**I just thought they still weren't over Soul being a weapon and deciding not to continue the family business and being a musician.**

Soul: Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

Maka: …*hugs Soul*

Soul: Hey! Maka, what-

Maka: What? I'm not allowed to give my partner a hug when he needs it?

Soul: Well…uh…cool guys aren't supposed to get hugs!

Maka: Oh brother…

**I smirked at him and was about to speak, before I was talked by a mass of black and purple with huge breasts.**

**"Blair was right, he is cuter than Scythe Boy!" She shouted, talking about herself in third person.**

Soul: *grumbles*

Crona: …Soul, I don't mean to butt in…but you do know that Blair is more than a few years older than you? …and a cat?

Soul: Yeah. And?

Crona: …never mind…

**I looked at Soul.**

**"Whose this?" I asked, pointing at the girl wrapped around my shoulders, "And is she single?" She was pretty hot.**

Maka: Yep, you two are related alright.

Soul: Oh, shut up…

**SOUL…**

**I have to thank Blair later, I would have gotten a lecture about being gay if it wasn't for her distracting my brother.**

Soul: Honestly? Outside of a comment or two, he probably wouldn't even care.

**I let out a relieved sigh and felt Kid put his hand up to my forehead. He smiled and gave me a kiss. I love it when he kisses me.**

Maka: Awwwwwww!

Soul: _Shut. Up._

**"I hand to make sure you didn't have a fever first." He says with a smile.**

**I chuckled, "Can you go back to normal though."**

**Kid looked at me with teary eyes, "n-normal?"**

**I panicked, "N-no, I meant I miss my symmetry obsessed Kid. Where'd he go?" I said that last part with a big smile.**

Soul: …they need to have barf bags or buckets or something here for situations like these.

Maka: Complain about it enough and I'm sure they'll be brought in in the future…

Soul: Fat lot of good that does me right now…

**He looked at me with a small smile on his face. "And I missed your big goofy grin."**

Maka: Awww, come on Soul! This is adorable!

Soul: If it was _anyone else_…

**He sat next to me in the hospital bed and rested his head on my shoulder.**

**"So when I get out of this place wanna go on our first date?" I asked.**

**"Of course." Kid responded quickly. "I'd love to." He looked at me with a big smile on his face, something rare for Kid.**

Soul: For the love of God, someone just kill me now…

**I leaned in for a kiss, but the door slamming open ruined the moment.**

**"Oh, Soul…" Shit, it's Maka.**

Soul: Maka, I am so grateful to you right now, you have no idea…

Maka: Yeah, you're not overreacting in the slightest…

Soul: You're just saying that because you're secretly a yaoi fangirl.

*MAKA CHOP!*

**I apologize for the shortness of this chapter,**

Crona: We don't mind. At all. Really, we don't.

**however it was focused more on Soul's recovery and he is practically all done now.**

Soul: Speak for yourself, I'm not going to recover from this for a long while…

**Maka is the antagonist of this story if no one had figured it out yet.**

Soul: Oh, yeah, because you were just so fucking subtle about it!

Crona: And it goes without saying that it is so far off from how she actually is that my intense hatred for this author isn't even close to unwarranted…

Maka: …I thought I was the one who read ahead…

Crona: I'm guessing…and I doubt I'm going to be wrong…

**And unfortunately, the witches will be making an appearance.**

Maka: Oh, great, because it's not like the plot to this is… …actually, _is_ there a plot to this?

Soul: …huh. I don't think there actually is.

Crona: Maybe the pairing alone is the plot…?

**I haven't seen the whole of the soul eater series,**

Maka: Well, that explains everything!

**so I may get character's personalities and abilities wrong, just a warning.**

Soul & Crona: _Gee, you think_?

**Anyways, please review. They are 100 times better than alerts, and alerts are appreciated, but reviews are just so much better.**

Crona: When I can think of a way to express my hatred for you that isn't me just screaming "die" over and over again, I'll review…

Soul: You could start by describing the ways he should die.

Maka: …guys, come on. This isn't the worst way that I've been depicted.

Soul: I seriously do not want to know how someone could get you worse than this…

**AN: All I have to say is I own none of the characters of Soul Eater, only the plot. There are Japanese words in here, that I will explain:**

Maka: Ah yes, Gratuitous Japanese. Always a sign of an excellent piece of work.

**Bakka = Stupid**

Crona: …never mind, it's too easy…

**Sama = Lord/Lady**

**Yandere = Caring person who becomes obsessive, essentially a stalker**

Soul: …why is that last one there?

Crona: …

**THE MISTAKE OF TRUSTING MAKA**

Soul: If by that, you mean "the mistake of trusting her character to a worthless hack like you", then yeah, it was a big fucking mistake!

**BLAIR…**

**"Oh scythe boy~ ! Blair wants to see how you're doing~ !" I announced as I entered the room. I stopped immediately as I saw Maka.**

**"No, no, noooooo! Maka-Bakka leaves! Blair-Sama says so!" I shouted at her.**

Maka: …so the only reason those were needed was to make Blair even more of a ditz? Way to give those characters extra depth.

**She didn't move, she and Scythe boy were in a staring contest with each other. Its so awkward and tense around her. Shinigami-boy is standing right next to scythie, glaring holes into Maka-Bakka's soul.**

Maka: Well, at least we can clearly tell that that isn't me. It's some random idiot named Maka-Bakka. No one any of us knows, so we can all calm down now.

*Maka looks between the two, both of them still clearly pissed off*

Maka: …that was a hint, guys.

Soul & Crona: Not happening.

**"Leave, Maka." Soul announced calmly.**

**"No, I want to apologize." Maka says sternly, "I overreacted." She was blushing now. Oh, little girl, crush on a gay guy; a taken gay guy. I'd pity her, but she doesn't deserve it.**

Maka: *facepalm* Unbelievable…it's really amazing how far off this is from who I actually am. It's like the author just picked a stereotype and stuck my name on it. …seriously, would you two calm down?

Soul: Nope.

Crona: Uh-uh.

**"Oh no, I don't know how to deal with this."**

Maka: …oh, _hell_ no.

**Ah, looks like Chrona's finally here. The pink haired guy has so many problems but doesn't trust Maka anymore after what she did to Soul. I feel bad for him too.**

Crona: …_WHAT_?

Maka: …OK, now I'm starting to get a bit pissed off.

Soul: Took you long enough.

**CHRONA…**

**"Stop it Ragnarok, I don't know how to deal with having blood in my hair." I groaned as I pushed an angry Ragnarok away and managed to return him back to my blood.**

Maka: …*glares at Ragnarok*

Ragnarok: Hey, I'm _in_ his blood! Making him bleed would just be stupid!

Crona: Doesn't mean you haven't done it…

Ragnarok: _…you fucking snitch_!

*MAKA CHOP!*

**I thank Shinigami-sama for helping me learn to control him better.**

Crona: …control him…yeah, right…

Ragnarok: Please, like you ever could!

**I walked into Soul's hospital room; I finally decided to go even though I don't know how to deal with an injured person.**

Maka: You mean despite the fact that he was there when I was, you know, _paralyzed_? Or did you not get that far yet?

**I walked in an saw Soul and Maka having a stare off, an angry stare off.**

**"Oh no, I don't know how to deal with this." I groaned at the sight. I had to try to help. Maka always said to try to help people solve their conflicts.**

Maka: …whoa, that's creepy.

Soul: What? You really told him that?

Crona: She did, actually…

**"You guys need to make up, come on. Soul, Maka admits that she did something wrong and she wants to make it better."**

**Maka started nodding. "I wanted to start by saying that I'll be paying for your hospital bill and that I'm really sorry about overreacting." Maka put her head down in shame after that. I looked at Soul, not knowing what to say. I still don't know how to deal with this.**

Crona: Easy…turn around, walk out now, and hopefully you won't be brought back…

**KID…**

**"We'll give you another chance, but if you mess it up you have to get out of Soul's life for good." I said, after consulting Soul about what we should do. He agreed to give her one chance, since she does seem genuinely sorry for her actions.**

Maka: Not a very bright move, if you ask me.

Soul: …wait, what?

Maka: What? That's not me, remember? It's Maka-Bakka. And this is just going to result in easily preventable drama in the future, so why bother? Honestly, I wouldn't forgive me if it was me.

Crona: Doesn't matter either way, since you would _never do that_…

Maka: …well, yeah, obviously.

**She nods happily at us and gives Soul a "can I come closer?" look.**

Soul: Oddly specific look…

**He sighed and nodded, letting her skip over happily.**

Maka: Excuse me, I do _not_ skip. In any sense of the term.

**I don't know what this feeling is, but I don't like it.**

Soul: That's probably a sense of foreboding that indicates how badly you just screwed up. *thumbs-up* Way to go.

**LIZ…**

**That look on Kids face when Patty and I walked in was priceless. His was practically melting with anger at jealousy at the sight of Maka and Soul making up and getting along.**

Maka: Kid? Jealous? …I'd probably find that funny under different circumstances.

**There was this vibe coming from Maka, I have the felling that this isn't going to turn out well.**

Soul: _Duh_.

**SPIRIT…**

Maka: GAH!

**"Oh Maka!" I shouted as I entered Soul hospital room. Lately Maka's been asking for my help and has been enjoying spending time around me. Its wonderful, she's finally forgiven me for my mistake.**

Maka: *double facepalm* No, no, NO. For the love of God, _no_. I did not go running to my dad just because one of my friends turned out to be gay. Absolutely not.

**But, she completely ignored me when I called her. I didn't even get a glance, let alone a second one.**

**She's back to ignoring me, and it's all that stupid Soul's fault!**

Maka: Gratitude returned, Soul.

Soul: *grins* Well, I'd be a pretty sucky partner if I didn't save you from your dad every once in a while.

**MAKA…**

**I ignored my father as he called out to me. I finally had gotten Soul to forgive me. Now for step 2 in the plan, slowly steal him away from Kid. He's not gay, he just thinks he is. He's not in love with Kid, he just thinks he is. He's in love with me. Sure call me a Yandere, but I'm in love with Soul.**

All: *stunned silence*

Soul: …Crona, let me see what you've written so far.

*Crona tosses the notepad to Soul*

Soul: *reads*…what, no dunking in a vat of acid?

Crona: Aw, I knew I forgot something…

**I apologize for the shortness of the chapters lately, but I've been trying to write while combating writer's block.**

Maka: Never thought I'd be thankful that someone got that…

Crona: Likewise…

**The next chapter will only come up if I get review for this one!**

Maka: Someone's getting desperate for attention…

**If there is a new chapter, it will be longer; I promise.**

Soul: Then we should be done with this! …right?

Crona: Sadly, no…

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**The day we "cut" the rules.**

Soul: …was that supposed to be clever? Or to reference something? 'Cause I'm completely lost here.

_**so crazy how we get down~ never thought it would be like this so crazy how we get down~ blaze the place time for some action so crazy how we get down~ y'all and me we got it going on so crazy how we get down~ anything you need you got me right here**_

Soul: It's crap.

Maka: …you can't even hear the song.

Soul: I can just tell. I'm that good.

**BLAIR….**

**"Scythie boy! Oh scythie Boy! gone, you can stop hiding now." I called out to Soul. He's been living at my old house with the pretty pretty pumpkins in the yard ever since his fight with Maka. Soul poked his head out of behind the couch.**

**"Oh scythie boy, come on~! Just for old times sake, take a bath with meeee!" I whined,**

Soul: Oh for-I'm _hiding_ from Blair now?

Crona: …I know one or two hiding spots…

Soul: I don't _want_ to hide from Blair! …and by that, I'm saying I'm not scared of her and that I don't need to hide from her and Maka _put the book down_!

Maka: Sure you don't want to rephrase that…?

**I missed when Scythie boy pretended to be straight, he would always blush and stutter when I asked him that.**

Soul: You're forgetting the nosebleeds. Which, again, _can't be faked_!

**He doesn't even pay Blair-sama any attention now with the striped head boy waltzing around. Scythie boy's completely wrapped around his finger; it's so funny. Now they listen to only the songs that Kiddo wants to hear, so they've been playing this one song over and over again.**

Soul: He's officially the worst boyfriend ever.

Maka: …you're speaking like you have experience on the subject, Soul.

Soul: Oh, shut up.

**It's bugging Blair-Sama! Blair's just gonna go take a bath than. Humph!**

Crona: …what's the point of putting "humph" in your internal dialogue?

**To bad they look so happy together cuddled up against each other, Kid asleep in Soul's arms. So sweet.**

Maka: Awwwwwwww! You're even falling asleep together!

Soul: Oh, _gag_.

Crona: …no comment…

**Kid's been having trouble at home lately. Stein's been rather against his homosexuality,**

Soul: Wait, what? What does Stein have to do with it?

Maka: …does this person not know that Death the Kid is the son of…well, _Death_? Does he think that _Stein_ is his father? …I know he said he isn't that familiar with us, but that's a pretty big flub to make!

**Blair wishes I could beat weirdo dissector up! Blair's not strong enough too though, too bad.**

**I dipped into the warm bathwater and it feels great and I started relaxing as my brush went away at cleaning me. Too bad there was a giant explosion. I jumped up and looked out the window.**

**Stupid witches! Can't they let Blair and the star-crossed lovers have their me time?**

Maka: Oh, great, villains appearing for no reason. Figures.

**CHRONA…**

**"I don't know how to deal with Medusa! I have to find Mak- no, I have to find Soul." I ran out of the room and ran towards that cat witch's home.**

Crona: *twitch* I…you…urgh…gragh…gah…gack…

Maka: Crona…?

Soul: Dude, say whatever you need to say before you start foaming at the-

Crona: _I swear when I find this author I'm going to pin him to the wall like a GODDAMMNED BUTTERFLY_!

Soul: …yeah, like that.

**I rushed there at the speed of light and looked up at the house in ruins. Soul and Kid are nowhere in sight; neither is Blair-chan!**

Maka: *twitch* I think it's safe to assume that you don't call her that…

Crona: Very, _very_ safe…

**"Ugh!" I squealed a little as Blair-chan flew past me, the result of being struck. I look the direct she came from. The wicthes are here. No, the witches are here!**

Maka: The bitches are coming! The bitches are coming!

**Eruka!**

**Medusa!**

**Michizune!**

All: It's _Mizune_!

**I don't know who to deal with this.**

Crona: *head meets tray* I don't care _who_ deals with it, just so long as someone does…

**ERUKA….**

**"Filthy brat. Just die!" I shouted, tossing more tadpole bombs at the cat.**

Maka: Ah yes, revel in Eruka's genericness…

**The cat switched in and out o human from to dodge the bombs.**

**"Stop moving!" I shouted in frustration. I tossed more and more tadpole bombs until I finally hit her. Finally! I turned.**

**"Now to find my real target, Oh, where are you Shinigami-boy?" I looked around, and suddenly I saw the boy standing atop a pile of rubble. I squealed.**

**`"Y-you're not a scythe meister! I was told you wield duel pistols!" I looking at him in fear.**

Maka: …_really_?

Soul: *sighs* Should've seen this coming…

**I wasn't prepared to fight up close! I prepared for a long range battle.**

**"Scared?" He said in a mocking tone. I looked at him and began to back away, but I bumped into something. I turned and saw the cat woman behind me and shrieked. Ahh, what do I do? What do I do? I looked into the sky and smiled.**

**"Bye bye." I said, eaving to my adversaries. I jumped into the air and turned into a frog, and was caught by one of the michizune witches. It was a great idea bringing them with us on the second attack on death city.**

Maka: Well, thank you for that exercise in pointlessness.

**SOUL…**

**"That was amazing Kid! You used me even though you were asymmetrical." I said to Kid, smiling. He smiled back at me.**

**"And our wavelengths are in perfect sync. Unlike how yours and Maka's are now." Kid said, spitting Maka's name.**

Crona: …Soul, can I have my notepad back now?

Soul: Hang on, I'm adding some ideas of my own.

**"At least we're not partners anymore, and you pulled strings so you couls have three weapons. I didn't even think that was possible." I remarked, earning a smile from him again.**

**"Stuff id easy with Lord Death as your father." He said. I nodded at him and looked into the city, which was being destroyed by rampaging witches.**

Maka: The entire city? In that amount of time? Am I seriously expected to believe this?

Soul: More importantly, apparently the author _does_ know that Kid is the son of Lord Death. So, again, why did you bring up Stein earlier?

**"First we should fin Liz and Patty, than we should go look for Black Star and Tsubaki." Kid said calmly, I looked at him and nodded, and turned back into my scythe form.**

**"Good luck kid, and don't get a scratch on you! I couldn't stand to see your perfect skin damaged like that!" I shouted from inside my scythe form.**

Soul: AGH!

Maka: *bursts out laughing*

Soul: _Stop that_! This isn't even remotely close to funny!

**"And no getting hurt either for you!" kid shouted as he ran into the city, full of angry witches and, worst of all, Maka.**

Maka: Hey, what'd I do? I didn't blow up the city! …I hope.

**I've been having writer's block for this story, but I think I managed to pull a good scene out of my ass.**

Soul: Oh you pulled _something_ out of your ass, alright…

**Anyway, I absolutely love Blair, so I hope I master the art of writing from her point of view,**

Maka: Not exactly difficult to do.

**same with Chrona;**

Crona: *head meets tray again* Lucky me…

Maka: *pats Crona's back*

**and you'll probably be seeing for of Eruka, as she is my favorite villain.**

Maka: Once again…

Crona: Poor Eruka…

**Until next time, that is if I get enough reviews.**

Soul: Oh, quit your begging and get a job!

**but that story doesn't seem popular enough for me to continue.**

Maka: Whoa, what? Did we come in too late or something? Where's the start to that sentence?

**Man! Kingdom Hearts fans hate to review,**

Crona: What does Kingdom Hearts have to do with us…?

Maka: You mean besides grounds for yet another crossover?

**anyway, back to this series.**

Soul: No, go back to them! Better them than us!

**Also, I realize I called the Mizune, Michizure, in the past chapter. That was a mistake and it is not an OC or anything, it was meant to be Mizune.**

Crona: Oh, you have made _much_ bigger mistakes than that…

**This story is a somewhat AU, as it tells an event from the actual plot, with many changes.**

Soul & Crona: _Gee, you think_?

**CHATPER 5**

**The Day of Witches' Blessing**

Maka: Stop trying to have an actual plot, you're not fooling anyone.

**ERUKA…**

**"You told me that Lord Death's son would be powerless without his dual pistols at his side! You said nothing of the scythe boy!" I shouted at Medusa. She gave me incorrect information.**

Crona: Eruka standing up to…her? …that's out of character, and yet I don't find myself caring too much…

**"That was an extremely recent event and, because of such, there was no time to warn you, nor the Mizune." Medusa told me calm Medusa told me calmly. I shivered a little at her annoyed atmosphere.**

Crona: …never mind…

**"We are here to revive the Kishin, Asura, I understand. But why didn't you send Free to get the boy? He can't die!" I whined at her, pulling my hat down a little.**

**"Because we needed a large distraction in the city, what better that a werewolf whose escaped prison?" Medusa asked, I hung my head and sighed.**

Soul: Gee, I don't know, I find a witch blowing shit up pretty distracting. But hey, that's just me.

**"What is my next assignment than? I refuse to attack the shinigami boy again." I said. She looked at me while adjusting the dress she was wearing to the ball, before our plan went into action.**

Maka: Wait, ball? What ball? Who said anything about a ball? When was a ball ever mentioned in this fic?

**"You will go with Free to inject the black blood into Asura and revive it." Medusa told me. I gulped, but nodded and grabbed the attaché case and went into the DWMA basement to regroup with Free.**

Crona: Wait, Asura isn't revived yet…? So, wait, this takes place before the revival…? Then how am I there? I'm not supposed to be there yet! And what's all this about a second attack? Why did this suddenly get so confusing…?

**MARIE…**

**"Why did I have to be here when they attacked? I should have been out looking for a husband!" I whined into Yumi's ear and we ran through the halls of the DWMA.**

Maka & Crona: *twitch*

Soul: Wait, what're they doing there? If this is before Asura's revived, they shouldn't be there! They were called to the academy _because_ Asura was revived! What the hell is going on?

**She pushed me away I I frowned.**

**"Calm down Marie! We need to get Lord Death and the others out of that prison." Yumi said as she adjusted her glasses. I sulked after her as we ran. We past a empty room but I stopped when I heard music. I backed up and peeked into the room.**

**"What are you doing now Marie!" Yumi shouted at me as I ran into the room.**

**"Justin! Pay attention to your surroundings instead of that music for once and help us free Shinigami!" I shouted as I shook Justin back and forth to get his attention.**

Maka: Oh, of course, bring him in too. Why not?

Soul: The author probably has no idea he's actually evil…oh, yeah, spoilers for you folks at home. Sorry about that.

**CHRONA…**

**"I don't know how to deal with this. Medusa's returned, I don't know what to do! How do I deal with this?" I shouted as I ran after Black Star and Tsubaki.**

Maka: Oh, yeah, just repeat his catchphrase over and over again. You clearly have a firm grip on his character and personality.

**Tsubaki turned and stared comforting me.**

**"Don't worry Chrona, we'll meet up with the others and then we can go help Shinigami-sama." Tsubaki told me, before pulling me along with her so we could catch up to noisy Black Star.**

**"Hey, lookie!" Black Star pointed at something. I looked into the rubble and recognized it as the friendly Cat Witch's house.**

Soul: Not actually a witch…

Maka: Which we are all too familiar with…

**I saw her sitting among the rubble, starting at her house.**

**"Blair-chan! Are you OK?" I shouted to her as I followed Black Star and Tsubaki to her destroyed house. She turned and I saw the tears pouring out of her eyes as she held a broken brush in her hands.**

**"He's dead, and so the rest of my house!"**

Crona: …"he"?

Maka: I think we're supposed to chalk that up to Blair's ditziness, and not question her sanity.

Crona: …it's not exactly working…

Maka: No, no it isn't.

**She shouted and Tsubaki and I went over to comfort her, even though I don't know how to deal with crying cat.**

Crona: *head hits tray*

**"Blair! Where's Kid and Soul?" Black Star shouted from the top of the pile of debris.**

**She shrugged, "Whose gonna help me get a new house? I dunno how to build stuff!" I patted her back to comfort her, but it wasn't working very well. I let Tsubaki take over with comforting Blair-chan, since I don't know how.**

Crona: *hits head repeatedly*

**I ran after the oaf, who left without us in search of his friends.**

Crona: *looks up* "Oaf"?

Maka: …*snerk*

Crona: W-What…?

Maka: Sorry…was just picturing you calling Black*Star an oaf…

**"Stop for a second Black Star, I don't know how to deal with all this running!" I shouted after the speedy assassin as I ran after him.**

**"You're pitiful Chrona!" Raganarok shouted as he popped out of my back.**

**"No Raganarok! Now's not a good time!" I shouted, pushing the bully away.**

Ragnarok: Goddammit! I thought I could get through this without seeing me deliver any lines!

Crona: It was just one…

Ragnarok: I'd like to keep my good luck with these, if it's all the same to you!

**"It seems you've shrunk quiet a lot, your powers dwindled." I looked up towards the voice.**

**"Medusa, No Medusa! Go Away!"**

Crona: *groan*

Maka: …OK, I changed my mind. Let me see that notepad.

Soul: I think I've pretty much covered all the bases.

Maka: *reads* …you forgot freezing in liquid nitrogen.

Soul: Dammit!

**I shouted and turned to run, which, thankfully, Raganarok agreed with for once. I ran back over to Tsubaki and Blair-chan, but Medusa chased me. She was about to grab me before Kid pushed me out of the way and hit her with Soul's handle.**

**ARACHNE…**

Maka: Wait, _what_? What is she doing here? She's not…this isn't supposed to…_what is going on_?

**"****It seems that Kid Death can wield something other than those two pistols. Giriko, would you be a dear and go assist my little sister in defeating those fools.**

Soul: *twitch* Giriko…

Maka: Soul…

Crona: Wait, what's the problem with Giri-

*Crona freezes in mid-sentence, jaw hanging open*

Maka: …Crona…?

Soul: …you just found out, didn't you?

Crona: *slowly nods*

Soul: …you gonna be OK, man?

Crona: Maka…you remember that one time you said you got so angry, you went full circle and were suddenly calm…?

Maka: Yeah…

Crona: …I feel the same way right now…it's really weird…

**Help her capture Chrona, I'll assist the other witch and the werewolf in reviving the Kishin." I asked Giriko, he scowled at the order, but obeyed and ran off towards my sister's soul wavelength. I looked over at the witch and werewolf.**

**"Let's go you two, before the box wears off." I ordered them; they proceeded to lead me to the DWMA. The golem began walking as I sat upon it and looked over the city in shambles. My sister actually had a good idea by having us team up and attack Death City.**

Maka: How generically evil of you, you generic fanservicy villain.

**The Mizune wicthes flew by overhead, cutting apart the structures with their magically enhanced whiskers. The golem crushed every unfortunate thing in its way. Giriko was enjoy craving through the walls as he made his way to Medusa. Such wonderful destruction.**

**"Where are you going?" I turned my head to look back as the golem continued walking.**

**"Two death scythes and Dr. Stein. Shouldn't you be attacking Medusa, hmm? And last time I checked, you were being beaten to a pull by the female Death Scythe." I looked at them. Shinigami's personal scythe, Spirit, and the death scythe normally in charge of Europe, Justin Law. Too bad, Giriko's going to be here in 3, 2, 1…**

**"Die!" And there he is, the two are at it again. He sure does hold a grudge. The two are swinging those sharp blades all over the place, causing such a ruckus.**

Maka: What _was_ the deal with those two, anyway?

Soul: I can't even begin to care. One's now evil, the other's now dead, what difference does it make?

**"Let's continue, let Giriko delay them." I had the golem continue walking after the witch and werewolf. Let's continue with the plan as planned, and hopefully will be able to get rid of Shinigami in the process.**

Crona: Why? So they can take over the world?

Maka: Of course!

**PATTY…**

**"Liz! I can't get out of it!" I whined as I tried to get out of the restraints. "I can't change into weapon form either!"**

Maka: Whoa, whoa, where is this? Why are they tied up?

**"Calm down Patty, we'll find a way out, don't worry." Liz said, calmly.**

**"But what if there are ghosts in the DWMA dungeons? They could get us!" I shouted.**

Soul: Why are they in the DWMA dungeons? Why were they captured?

**"No, there are ghosts here?" Liz started freaking out. Then I started freaking out and we started shouting for help together.**

**"KID, GET US OUTTA HERE!"**

All: WHAT IS GOING ON?

/

OK, I'm gonna end it there. You'll get the trio's thoughts on the story after the next one.

Since this is technically a part of a double story, you're probably better off saving your questions/suggestions for later, after the second one. You can send them anyway, but it'll take longer for a reply.

And no, Soul won't be staying after this, so don't bother with anything for him.

See you again soon.


	6. Story 4: With Friends Like These

OK, this is gonna be as much torture for me as it will be for you, so let's not waste any time and get going.

/

Maka: So, are we alright? Are we all _calm_ now?

Soul: Yes, yes, we're fine. So sorry we got upset because you were being portrayed as a psychotic stalker.

Maka: It wasn't that big a deal! It was so far off from me that there was no way I could take it seriously!

Crona: Doesn't change the fact that the author thought it was you…

Soul: Let's just get this other one over with…

**"So…tired" Soul mumbled following Maka down the school corridor.**

Soul: I know the feeling.

**"Well is you were smart you would of gone to bed instead of watching Ferris Buller's Day Off at twelve in the morning." Maka stated absorbing the text found in her novel.**

**"But its Ferris Buller's Day Off! Oh you wouldn't understand you're such a nerd"**

Maka: Hey, I know what Ferris Bueller's Day Off is!

Soul: Before or after you started doing this?

Maka: _Before_.

**Soul stated absorbing a yawn, not aware of his fate. Maka closed her book.**

**"Maka Chop!"**

Maka: *sighs* It's sad how people think they understand the significance of the chop. One can't just use it at any instance. The moment must _need_ the chop. The chop must perfectly punctuate the mood surrounding the situation.

Crona: …I didn't know so much thought went into it…

Maka: Don't worry, Crona. Perhaps one day you will learn the secrets of the Maka Chop for yourself.

Soul: *facepalm* Oh buh-_rother_.

**"Hi Maka!"**

**Maka turned from her brain dead partner to find Tzubaki and Blackstar next to her.**

**"oh hey guys". Maka greeted**

**"HEY did you guys here! A NEW KID HAS JUST MOVED TO SHUBISION! Of 'course I can understand the fact that you didn't know because he isn't a great star like me!" Blackstar bragged.**

Crona: …there's that feeling of foreboding terror again…

**"But the year is almost over. Why bother moving schools now?" Soul questioned soberly rubbing his head.**

Soul: That's actually a good question.

Maka: And now you learn about that oh-so-dreaded aspect of poor writing known as "plot convenience".

Soul: I hate it already.

**"HAHA hey Soul wanna shake him up?" Blackstar laughed pulling Soul in a tight embrace.**

Maka: …

Soul: It's a _manly_ hug, dammit! It's completely different from what you're thinking!

Maka: Mhm…

**"after what happened with Kid no. Cool guys like me don't get into fights that are not necessary.' Soul stated pulling out of Blackstar's embrace.**

**"Oh well. I guess battling with the greatest star can make people feel weak." Blackstar laughed making Maka pull a face.**

**"Oh great another **_**normal**_** day'. Maka whined.**

Maka & Crona: _I do/She does not whine_!

Soul: Awwwwwwwww!

Maka: Oh, shut up.

**The bell rung and soon the gang found themselves sitting in Steins class room dreading to think what harmless animal would be dissected today.**

**'Ok class. Now as you may of heard, we have a new student joining our class. Class meet Stuart Confeld'. Stein stated flashing his glasses towards the class.**

**In walked a young tall boy with mousy brown hair and magnificent bright, emerald green eyes.**

Crona: *screams* _I knew it_! It's another one! Why do we have to deal with so many of these? _Why_?

Maka: Crona, just calm down! It'll be OK! He'll probably just disappear after a chapter or two!

Crona: No he won't! He'll stay through the whole thing and mess up everyone's characters! Everyone will focus on him even though we don't know him at all! _It happens every time_!

**He had a small smirk spread across his face as he stared at the class in full fascination until he spotted Maka. Maka found herself mesmerized in the new kids bright green eyes, as if she was in a trance.**

Maka: …*facepalm* Oh God no…

Crona: …I hate being right…

**"Maka' Stein asked braking Maka's trance.**

**'err. Yes?' Maka answered feeling embarrassed of how she acted.**

**'Since you're not behind your class work, would you mind giving Stewart a tour of the school?" Stein asked.**

**'Sure' Maka cheered packing her books.**

Maka: Yeah, I instantly develop a crush on a boy I just met, five seconds after meeting him. Are you even _trying_ to hide the fact that he's a Gary Stu?

**Once she finished packing she walked down lifting a glance at steward. He returned her glance with a smile which produced Maka to blush.**

Crona: …and there's that urge to hit something again…

Soul: When we find the author, I'll hold him down while you take your time tap dancing on his face, OK?

Crona: Thank you…

**In embarrassment she murmured 'follow me' and walked on ahead, leaving Steward to walk behind her.**

**Maka gave Stewart a silent tour of the school, until Stewart decided to break the ice.**

**'Man this school is **_**huge. **_**I am glad you are here, otherwise I would be completely lost.' Stewart stated looking around the corridor as if it were a museum.**

**'It's the biggest academy you will ever come across as it is run by lord Death himself. It is also more than a school as it contains a dungeon and rooms for board.' Maka stated.**

**'wow, trippy' Stewart replied.**

Soul: …"trippy"? Really? How does that even fit? Unless you're saying you're on drugs, which…actually, still doesn't really fit. …go away, druggie.

**All of a sudden Maka found her armed being pulled back and found of bright green eyes match her own.**

Crona: *twitch*

Maka: Whoa, hey! Personal space, buddy!

**'So what's your name again?' Stewart asked**

**'Oh sorry. It's Maka' Maka answered staring at the floor.**

**'Well it's a delight meeting you Maka.'**

Maka: Quick, kick him in the balls and run!

Soul: I'm guessing that's just wishful thinking on your part?

Maka: Sadly…

**Soul walked out of Stein's class exhausted. Man was he tired and with Stein shouting random words next to Soul's ear he could not get any shut eye, this was not cool at all.**

**'SOUL!'**

**Soul turned to find Maka running in joy, dragging the startled new kid behind her.**

**'Soul! This is Stewart. Is it ok if we have a PARTY!' Maka squealed in excitement.**

Soul: "…OK, who are you and what'd you do with Maka?"

Maka: _Thank you_.

**Soul stood there dumfounded. He never saw Maka this excited before, a smile stretched across his face.**

**'Sure I see no problem why' he replied thinking of how many energy drinks he was going to buy to stay awake this afternoon.**

**Maka beamed and literally pushed Stewart into Soul.**

**'GREAT! Ok I am going to invite the gang, meet you at home ok?' Maka beamed running off the find Kid, Liz and Paddy.**

Maka: "Paddy"? What, is that Patty's Irish cousin?

Crona: …that sounded potentially offensive…

Maka: …oops.

**Steward quickly pushed himself off the fallen weapon. Soul realized Stewart was acting alert and was shaking, staring at Soul as if he was the devil.**

**'Dude are you ok?' Soul asked.**

Maka: Soul, he's on to you! He knows that you know! You have to eliminate him before it's too late!

**Steward realized his reaction and took a deep breath and smiled, looking at Soul with his deep green eyes.**

**'Sure… Just was a bit startled, that's all… Is she always like that?' Steward replied**

**' Pretty much' Soul smirked looking at his excited miester. 'I hope you like chicken'.**

**Around four in the afternoon the gang found themselves at Maka's and Soul's apartment gorging themselves on food and conversation.**

Soul: Wouldn't Kid's place be better? I mean, our apartment's kinda small for a full-blown party…

Maka: It's probably because we're featured so much in this…

Soul: …you _have_ been reading ahead.

Maka: I told you guys, it's a habit!

**'So tell us Stewart do you have a mister?' Kid asked**

Crona: …a "mister"?

Maka: …there's probably a joke somewhere in there, but damned if I can find it.

**'YEAH! And what type of weapon are you stew?' Paddy laughed**

Crona: …they're already giving him nicknames?

Soul: They really aren't trying to hide it, are they?

**'I am a battle axe and sadly no. My miester and I decided to split, that's why I decided to movie to shibishion'. Stewart answered.**

**'Oh I'm sorry. Why did you split?' Tzubaki asked**

**'Oh you know, we had many differences' Stweart answered glaring at Soul.**

**Soul noticed and gave him a confused look back. Stewart just smirked and drunk his coke.**

Soul: Aha! See? I knew he was on something!

Maka: …I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to drink that, though.

Crona: *confused look*

Maka: I'll explain later, Crona…

_**What's up with this guy?**_** Soul thought**

**Soon the party ended and Maka found herself washing up.**

**'Hey Maka..' Soul asked shutting the front door**

**'Yeah Soul?'**

**'Did that Stewart guy seem weird to you?'**

**'No why?'**

**'hmm' Soul thought looking through the window 'It just didn't feel right'.**

Soul: …why do I get the feeling this is going to end badly for me?

Maka: Because it probably is…

Crona: It usually ends badly for someone when OCs are involved…

**Soul woke up with the laughing sun, in his face he sighed and finally decided to get up.**

**'Morning Maka' Soul called but there was no answer.**

**"Maka?' Soul asked but was answered in silence. Soul finally realised that Maka wasn't in the apartment.**

Soul: …she isn't…is she?

Crona: *twitch*

Maka: She better not be…

_**Whats going on?**_** Soul thought until his eyes met the kitchen clock.**

**'SHIT I'M LATE!'**

**Soul practically ran to Shibution to find the gang laughing around Stewart as if they were mad.**

All: *sigh of relief*

**'WHAT THE HELL MAKA! ATLEAST TELL ME WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING ON GOING TO SCHOOL EARLY SO I CAN SET MY ALARM!' Soul raged running up to Maka.**

Maka: Geez, Soul, no need to be so loud…

**Maka stopped laughing and looked at Soul in surpirise.**

**'Oh sorry Soul… I guess I forgot to wake you' Maka replied.**

**'You **_**what**_**!'**

**'I forgot' Maka replied as if it was the most casual thing in the world.**

Maka: …you suck as a friend, lady.

**'HEY SOUL LISTEN TO THIS JOKE ITS FUNNY AS HELL HAHAHA!' Blackstar laughed**

Soul: I can't imagine why I have trouble believing that.

Crona: Why does everyone have to yell so much in these fics…?

**'yeah come on Stewart say it again!' Maka screamed**

Maka: …*places face in hands* Uuuuuuugh…

Crona: …*hugs Maka*

**'Ok…ok' Stewart laughed and then he gazed into Souls eyes. 'A termite walks into a bar room and asks, "Is the bar tender here?"**

All: *dumbfounded silence*

Soul: …Crona, understand that I say this with all the respect I have for you…but even you could come up with a better joke than that.

Crona: Thanks…I think…

**'What?' Soul asked looking in fear of how his friends were laughing like people who deserve to be in the loony bin.**

Maka: That would probably be because they do.

**'Oh don't worry about Soul, Stewart, with Soul's brain you won't get him to understand anything you say.' Maka stated**

**'Hey! What are you saying? I have a brain the size of a pea is that what you are saying!' Soul argued**

Soul: …why did I suddenly get images of this one blond guy going on a long, comically over-the-top rage-fuelled rant?

**'That's exactly what I am saying!' Maka yelled back 'God you men' she scoffled and stormed off, with Stewart and the gang behind her.**

**Soul sighed. Something wasn't right, since when had his friends ever laugh at a stupid joke like that?. They weren't acting normal even for them and this Stewart guy. The way he kept on staring at Soul, it was if he was trying to look into his very soul, try to control him.**

Soul: Ugh. That was just corny…

**Soul shook it off. He knew he was pissed and that was probably why his friends were acting strange to him.**

**The week commenced and Soul felt as lonely as when he used to be with his family. No one was really paying any attention towards him and they were all fonding over Stewart even professor Stein.**

Maka: …yeah, that definitely isn't right. Especially considering Professor Stein isn't exactly in our peer group…

**Soul sighed and leaned over the balcony.**

**'What's wrong with me?' Soul murmured to the sun.**

Soul: The world's gone crazy and you're the only sane man alive. Sucks, dude.

**'Soul are you ok?'**

**Soul quickly turned to find Kid next to him looking out towards the sun set.**

Maka: …*grins*

Soul: Oh, don't even start.

Maka: Oh, come on, Soul! You know I'm just teasing you!

Soul: Yeah, why don't I start gushing about how cute you and, I don't know, Tsubaki would be?

Maka: …I think we'll just move on now.

Soul: That's what I thought.

**' I'm ok why wouldn't I be?' Soul asked**

**'Well Stewart and Maka seem to be getting close, that's all.'**

**'huh? Really I haven't noticed'**

**'**_**really **_**close' Kid repeated looking at Soul with concern.**

Maka: …I swear, if he means what I _think_ he means…

Crona: *twitch*

**Soul answered his glance with a confused look.**

**'What's that supposed to mean?' Soul asked**

**'I am quite positive that a relationship is commencing between the two, doesn't that bother you?'**

Maka: It certainly bothers _me_!

**Soul smirked**

**'No Maka can go out with anyone she likes, I am not going to hold her back'**

Soul: *nudges Maka* That was a hint, you two.

Maka: *blushes* Stop just saying stuff like that, Soul!

Crona: *heavy blush*

**'I see' Kid stated 'So you don't mind that her attention will be on him instead of you?'**

**Soul looked him in shock, while Kid looked out into the sunset.**

**'It's only natural for one to get jealous when the attention goes towards someone else,'**

Soul: Oh, so I'm an attention whore now? Good to know…

**'Well I'm totally cool with it'**

**Soul smirked at Kid's surprised face.**

**' It's good for Maka to be in a relationship. It will teach her **_**things**_**' Soul smiled.**

**Little Maka was growing up.**

All: *heads meet respective trays*

Soul: …can we just act like that last bit didn't happen?

Maka: Believe me, I'd love to…

**Soul sighed looking at the letter for the fifth time that night.**

_**Stewart and I are going out to watch a movie, don't know when we will be back. Love Maka xx**_

Crona: …why the two x's?

Maka: Later, Crona…

**Soul sighed it was ten pm. **_**Where could they be?**_** He thought. Was he jealous?**

Soul: I thought we just established that no, I wasn't jealous. Or are we ignoring that for the sake of drama?

Maka: Hey, you're catching on!

**Maybe that is why he thought Stewart was acting suspicious. Soul thought for a while until he abruptly stopped, realising that his fingers were playing the table like a piano. Soul sighed he sighed and shut his eyes. He awoke to the fiddling of keys and the door closing. Soul looked up to find a red, babbling, giggling Maka.**

Maka: …am I _drunk_?

Soul: …Crona, we're going to have to go over these notes again. Most of these are way too quick.

Crona: Oh, I'm sure I can come up with some better ideas…

**'Oh hey Soul' Maka giggled**

**'Hey?' Soul asked looking at his mister in confusion.**

Maka: It's _meister_! Would you get it right so this isn't so awkward?

**'Oh Soul!' Maka giggled punching his shoulder 'I'm so happy'.**

**A smile spread across Soul's face 'So you and Stewart hey' He teased making Maka blushed furiously, he chuckled.**

**Due to the new relationship between Stewart and Maka, Soul's life dramatically changed. Maka practically spend every living moment with Stewart usually leaving Soul alone cooking dinner for Blair and himself.**

Maka & Crona: …

Soul: …whoa, hey! Didn't I just say I was cool with you two hanging out? Besides, it's a totally different situation from this! Really, you guys can hang out as much as you like, it's not gonna hurt me or anything!

Maka: …really?

Soul: _Yes_. …although it would be nice if you visited every once in a while.

Crona: S-Sorry…

Soul: …Crona, I was _kidding_.

**The only time Maka spent in the apartment was for homework and to rest, which she did in total isolation.**

Soul: See? Totally different!

**Soul was hurt. Maka was acting as if she didn't need him anymore now she had Stewart and they had not even looked at any missions yet go on any.**

Soul: And we still go on missions! So stop feeling guilty that you're being friends already!

Maka: …sorry, Soul…

Crona: Yeah…

Soul: It's cool. Really.

**'Maka?' Soul asked pushing Maka's door open to discover Maka reading books.**

**'hmm? Soul can't you see I'm a little busy?' Maka exclaimed her nose deep in the novel.**

**'Yeah but I was just wondering when we were going to do another mission? You do want to create an awesome death sythe right Maka?...Maka?.**

**'huh? Err yes Soul I do it's just that, I've been so busy lately…**

Maka: …you know, this really is stupid. I mean, I'd never drop my lifelong mission to make a greater Death Scythe than my dad just because of some _boy_.

Soul: Took you long enough to wake up.

**Hey do you think it will be alright if you cooked your own dinner tomorrow. It's Friday after all and Stewart is planning to take me somewhere special.' Maka asked her eyes still on the novel.**

_**When did we last make eye contact?**_** Soul thought**

**'Soul?' Maka asked her eyes still on her novel, Soul sighed**

**'Whatever you say Maka' Soul murmured in defeat.**

**'Oh and Soul..'**

**'Yes?'**

**'Would it be ok if I borrowed your bike? Apparently we are travelling quite far and I don't really feel like catching the bus.' Maka stated**

Maka: Yeah, um, a) I don't even know how to ride a motorcycle, and b) Soul wouldn't lend his to me. He doesn't lend it to _anyone_.

Soul: This is true.

**'Oh that's **_**fine**_**' Soul cried in sarcasm with a dark tone found within his voice, Maka didn't notice.**

**'Thanks… Soul can you please close the door behind you?' Maka asked picking up her phone 'Hey Stewart'. Soul closed the door.**

Maka: *facepalm*

**Depressed by his defeat he passed the concerned Blair, slammed his door and face planted his bed. He was cut, hurt or whatever you call it, he was alone.**

Soul: Oh, great, apparently I'm emo in addition to being an attention whore. Nice.

Crona: …Maka, didn't you tell me those two were the same thing?

Maka: *giggles* Yes, well, I was in a pretty bad mood that day…

**No one seemed to talk to him anymore or give him any attention in fact they seemed to hate him. All because of Stewart. That guy was acting very suspicious. At first Soul thought it was him being jealous but it was the complete opposite. Soul relized that weird kid always kept on staring at him as if he wanted something from Soul. Usually after the defeat in the **_**'staring contest'**_** between he and Stewart, Stewart would become bitter and frustrated. Soul also caught Stewart walking round the corridors muttering to himself and once Soul spotted him near where the Kishien used to be. Something wasn't right. Soul tried to tell Maka about it though she either stood up for Stewart or was in denial. After that defeat Soul tried telling his friends but t=again they stood up for Stewart and Black star even call **_**him**_** a 'lying bastard'. Soon his friends started to avoid him including Stein who thought out of the whole bunch would understand.**

Soul: Again, why is Stein there? He's our _teacher_.

Maka: Also, you all suck ass as friends. All of you. To insane degrees.

**They all worshiped this kid, but why?**

Crona: Because his name is Gary Stu and he refuses to go away…

**The next day Soul walked to school alone again, with the only comfort of his jacket against the cool wind. The day went quickly and Soul found himself walking back home alone feeling depressed as ever.**

**'this is so uncool' Though thought out loud**

Soul: So much so that I apparently have to utter my catchphrase.

**He had never felt this down, even when he was living with his family.**

Soul: *facepalm*

_**Maybe I should move back **_**he thought then shock it off **_**no way am I going back to that shit box.**_

Soul: Yeah, not over-exaggerating my home life at all…

**All of a sudden Soul herd familiar laughter. Soul looked around to find the owner of that laughter when he froze. There stood Stewart laughing in a alleyway.**

_**Isn't he supposed to be with Maka?**_

**Soul quickly hid behind some logs listening to the conversation.**

**'Maka? I don't know what you see in her, she is not a pretty sight and she has no good characteristics. She is a stuck up bitch I don't know how long I can handle her' Stewart spat towards a wall.**

Crona: *grits teeth* I wonder how many knives I can carry with me at once…

**Soul clenched his teeth.**

**'Patience little one, good deeds always come to those who wait.' A woman's voice answered that sounded quite familiar,**

Crona: …*head meets tray*

Maka: Can we get just _one_ fic where she isn't involved in any way?

**though before Soul could place his finger on it the screen disappeared and Stewart starting walking down the hallway humming to himself walking down the alleyway to where Soul was hiding. In anger Soul jumped and threw Stewart on the opposing wall his arm not a blade next to Stewarts neck.**

Soul: Wait, why mention that it isn't a blade? What's the point in that?

**'SSSSOUL!' Stewart cried in fear**

**'I don't know what is going on but I heard enough' Soul growled placing his blade closer towards Stewart's neck.**

Soul: But…didn't you just say-

Maka: Typo.

Soul: …shouldn't authors check for that sort of thing _before_ sending their work in?

Maka: The good ones, anyway…

**'I should of known you were using Maka. I knew you were up to something walking down corridors alone acting suspicious, now tell me what the hell is going on!' Soul demanded**

**Stewart responded by laughing and an evil smile shone across his face.**

**'Oh you are so smart Soul. Out of the whole group, wait…The whole school it was you who kept their guard. I like that in a man' Stewart mused making Soul grit his teeth.**

Soul: …_another one_? What, do I just naturally attract gay guys to-Maka, _stop laughing_!

**'You're working with a witch aren't you' Soul growled**

**'You came up with that decision all on your own. But who would Maka truly believe? Her loving, devoting boyfriend or her weapon who brings shame to her name?' Stewart asked the smile never leaving his face.**

**'What do you mean by sha…..'**

**Soul was cut off with a loud blow to the back of his head and with a flash of white light Soul found himself on the ground blackness consuming him. Souls eyes fluttered to find two pairs of shoes in front of him.**

**'Does he know?' a deep voice asked**

**'No, he knows nothing.' Stewart replied.**

Crona: How generically cryptic of you…

**Soul was awakened by a drunk being kicked out of a pub.**

Soul: Always a fun way to start the day.

**It was the break of day and Soul's head throbbed. Slowly ignoring the scorching headache and nausea Soul slowly focused how he ended at his destination. It hit him like fire. Stewart. Soul slowly stood up and started walking**_**. I have to tell Maka**_**.**

**Soul opened the door to find Maka looking at him from the lounge in relief. She ran to him and hugged him.**

**'Oh Soul I was so worried' She stated.**

**All of a sudden she pushed him away and punched his shoulder.**

**'How could you do this!' She shrieked 'I was so worried!'**

Soul: "Yeah, I know, you literally just said that."

**'Maka Listen to me. I saw Stewart in the alleyway yesterday. He is using you Maka.**

**Maka stopped hitting him and looked at him in bewilderment then suddenly bursted into anger.**

**'God It always has to be about **_**you**_**' She shrieked**

Maka: …*facepalm* He just came back from being unconscious in an alley all night, you _stupid bitch_!

**'What the hell are you on Maka!**

Soul: Whatever magic crack Stewart is on, apparently.

**Listen to….'**

**'Why! God you're so, so**_** selfish **_**you never liked Stewart but all you can see is hatred can't you understand he makes me happy! Why don't you just shut that big stupid moth of yours and do something decent with your life. God it always has to be about **_**you**_**!'**

Maka: *head meets tray*

Soul: …sooooo, working to become a Death Scythe to better protect the world from witches isn't something decent?

**'Yeah well at least I haven't abandoned my partner.**

Maka: _Exactly_!

**You don't even talk to me anymore, your either doing homework or you're out with Stewart. Trust me Maka he isn't a good guy.'**

**'I KNEW IT! You're jeous! You can't have my attention off you for one second you think STweart isn't a good guy!**

Soul: At this point, I'm not exactly sure which is true…

**Then why don't you look..'**

**'HIS USING YOU MAKA!' Soul shouted which stopped Maka in her tracks.**

**'**_**what?'**_

Crona: …why is she reacting to that now, when he said that before?

Soul: Maximum dramatic effect?

**'I was walking down the alleyway after school and overheard part of Stewarts conversation. He is planning something Maka. I think he is working with a witch.' Soul stated as calmly as he could. He didn't want to yell at Maka as it would break her.**

Maka: Oh _please_! As if Soul yelling at me would "break" me! That's just…I can't even think of the word for how stupid that is!

**Soul watched Maka. Her head was doen and her hands were in fists. Soul started to calm down she was on his side now.**

**'Get out' she whispered.**

**'What?' Soul asked**

**'Stewart was with me the whole entire time last night, he didn't movie out of my sight. How dare you. HOIW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT STEWART LIKE THAT! In fact what is gotten into you!'**

**'God DAM IT MAKA! STEWART IS USING YOU!'**

**It happened fast a quick slap to the cheek that the apartment was silenced in. Soul was looking down at the ground absorbing the blow which he had been given by his partner.**

Maka: …*hits head repeatedly on tray*

Crona: …*pats Maka's back*

**'Get out' Maka demanded with clench teeth her voice full of hatred.**

**Soul looked at his partner in disbelief.**

**'Maka I..'**

**'I said GET OUT! I"VE HAD IT WITH YOU! I REFUSE TO BE YOUR PARTNER ANYMORE DO YOU HEAR ME! Stewarts right I am better off without you.'**

**Soul stared in disbelief at his partner, was this the end? He was crushed, hurt and shocked as he never thought Maka would say those words.**

Maka: That's because I wouldn't say that. _Ever_.

**'Maka..' Soul began but Maka cut him off.**

**'You're worthless, I could easily chose another partner and it would take me only a few seconds to make them a death weapon. Can't you see your holding me back! Your family is right! your worthless, you should just jump in a hole an die, no one will care! In fact I can see the title on the news paper Wes's Brother dies!' Maka stated with clench teeth Soul looked at her with wide eyes anger consuming him.**

Maka: _That doesn't make any sense_! I never even knew Soul had problems with his brother until today!

Soul: …

Maka: *nudges Soul* And for what it's worth, I don't care that you didn't tell me. We all have our problems to work out, I get that. You have your own way of dealing with things, and that's fine with me.

Soul: …yeah. Thanks.

Maka: What are friends for?

**'you know that's not true.' He murmured in anger**

**'WHAT! Oh it is Soul, it's very true. Can't you see no one cares about you! Isn't that why they say oh its Wes's brother! Isn't that why all the attention is on your brother. Hell in fact I love your brother more than you. And I haven't even met the guy! She screeched**

Maka: …I don't need to point out how stupid that statement was, do I?

Soul: Nope.

Crona: Uh-uh.

Maka: I thought not.

**In anger Soul started to storm off towards his room but Maka stopped him in his tracks.**

**' This isn't your room remember? I am kicking you out!' She shrieked**

**'just leave me alone' Soul stated in a bitter tone, crushed by Maka's words and kept on walking though Maka grabbed his shoulders and pushed him towards a wall.**

**'I'm not finished!' Maka hissed**

**'You're just angry. Wait till you calm down and then talk to me, you're not thinking clearly.'**

Maka: Oh, gee, what tipped you off?

Soul: I'm still convinced Stewart drugged them or something…

**Soul murmured and pushed Maka away and continued to walk to his room.**

**'I **_**hate**_** you.' Maka declared**

**Soul froze and turned to see Maka looking at him with absolute hatred.**

**'Maka..'**

**'No I hate you. I HATE YOU NOW GET THE HELL OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN DO YOU HEAR ME! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!' Maka screeched and Soul was pushed out into the apartment hallway with the door slammed behind him.**

Maka: *stands up* _You are the worst kind of friend EVER_! This is _Soul_ we're talking about! If he says that there's something wrong, then there's something wrong! What possible reason would he have to lie? This author clearly has absolutely no idea who I am, because I would never let some _boy_ come between me and my friends! Go and burn yourself, _you worthless HACK_!

Soul: …damn.

Crona: …yeah…

**Soul fell to the ground absorbing the fight that had just taken place**

_**I refuse to be your partner, You're worthless, , I could easily chose another partner and it would take me only a few seconds to make them a death weapon, no one cares about you.**_** I**_** can see the title on the news paper Wes's Brother dies**_

**In anger Soul ran to his bike and drove off. He didn't know where he was going but hell he didn't care. No matter how much he yelled her voice still projected around his mind.**

_**Your family is right! your worthless, Can't you see no one cares about you, Hell in fact I love your brother more than you. And I haven't even met the guy.**_

**And those two words that crushed Soul's whole being.**

_**I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.**_

Crona: …that's more than two words…and I don't just mean because it's repeated over and over…

**Those three words being repeated over and over again like an old record. In desperation Soul fought the tears and tried to focus on his driving, finally after almost smashing into a building he pulled over. He looked around. Hell he didn't know where he was but he knew he was out of Subition. He sighed.**

_**I should at least collect my stuff**_** he thought soberly**

Soul: Hey, you could try going without. I always wondered what that "wandering the earth" thing was like.

Maka: So you're saying you want to be a hobo?

Soul: I could survive on my pure coolness.

Maka: …*looks at Crona* Did that sound familiar to you too, or was that just me?

Crona: No, I got that feeling too…

**and slowly turned the bike around, he started driving back but then BANG!**

**Soul was thrown off his bike and yelped as he hit the pavement.**

**'Wow. What an easy fight. And I was expecting more from the famous Soul Eater.' A woman's voice stated.**

**Soul's eyes widened he knew that voice. No matter how much his body protested, Soul hazily looked up at his enemy. There flew Medusa hovering above him.**

Soul: And this is why you never think "my day just cannot get worse".

Maka: Murphy sucks.

**'Medusa' Soul spat in hatred.**

**'My, my what's wrong sweetie? You look like you have been crying. Has something happened between you and Maka?' Medusa teased.**

Soul: …_what_ did she just call me?

Crona: …oh dear God no no noooooooo…

**'Shut Up!' Soul hissed trying to ignore Maka's words floating in his head.**

_**you're so, so selfish**_

**'Well I have seen her around a new boy and he is quite the attraction. Has she finally given up on you?'**

Crona: *shudders* This is just so _wrong_…

**'I said SHUT UP!' Soul yelled drawing out a blade and leaping towards Medusa.**

**As Soul charged Medusa quickly moved his blade aside and aimed electricity at Souls stomach, sending him flying backwards.**

_**You're worthless, I could easily chose another partner and it would take me only a few seconds to make them a death weapon**_

**Half sobbing Soul yelled and charged again, though she kept blocking his attacks. Finally she leaped on Soul and the two found themselves rolling on the ground. Medusa finally won as she pegged him to the ground. All of a sudden Soul felt **_**things**_** crawling through his body.**

Soul: AGH! *shivers* Oh GOD, I can practically feel them now!

Maka: No, that's just your skin crawling…and I think I know the feeling.

Crona: Likewise…

**He yelled in agony as Medusa laughed.**

**'Snakes are such a delight aren't they?' She mused.**

Soul: …did I just get _tentacle raped_ by Medusa…?

Crona: …I feel sick…

Soul: Likewise…

Maka: Right there with both of you…

_**you should just jump in a hole an die, no one will care! In fact I can see the title on the news paper Wes's Brother dies!'**_

**Medusa let go and Soul turned on his side and shuddered. No matter how much his body screamed in protest Soul started to stand up.**

**'You're emotions make you reckless Soul. It's your weakness' Medusa stated 'Face it Maka doesn't want you anymore. She hates you remember?'**

**Soul froze.**

_**I hate you. I HATE YOU NOW GET THE HELL OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN DO YOU HEAR ME! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!'**_

**Soul sank to his knees, giving in to his body's cries. Medusa quickly grabbed his hair so they were looking face to face.**

**'No one wants you Soul, so why don't you join me?' Medusa purred fluttering her lashes at him.**

Soul: Dear God, _why_?

Crona: *curls up, shuddering*

_**Can't you see no one cares about you! Hell in fact I love your brother more than you. And I haven't even met the guy!**_

**'Over my dead body!' Soul hissed in clench teeth fighting the tears.**

**Medusa's face hardened and all of a sudden Soul felt a blade slicing down his scar. Soul yelled in agony as the blade dug deep into his scar. Suddenly she stopped. Soul became limp as darkness consumed him, he heard Medusa chuckle as she stated.**

**'You're mine now.'**

Soul: I'm seriously considering taking up drinking after this…

Maka: …are you even of age?

Soul: At this point, does it matter?

**It had been exactly a month since Maka and Soul fought, and Maka wondered why they still weren't talking.**

Maka: …I…you…ah…

Soul: …dude, I think Maka's broken.

Crona: *pokes Maka* Maka…? Maka, what happened…?

Soul: I think the sheer stupidity of that last sentence shut down her brain.

Maka: Don't know why…why they aren't…you…

Soul: Yep, it's the stupidity.

**Later that week Soul had in fact packed his bags, called her a bitch and stormed off. Actually whenever she tried to talk to Soul he would insult her thus another fight would break out between the two. Sadly Maka came to realize that she hated her old partner and the decision officially came to the conclusion that Stewart and her were becoming partners.**

Maka: …why are they acting like it isn't her fault…?

Crona: I blame the OC…

**'Hi Maka.'**

**Maka turned to find Death the Kid standing before her with Liz and Paddy.**

**'oh… hey guys' Maka cheered smiling until her eyes locked onto Souls.**

**He was standing in front of his locker looking around the hallway until his eyes met with Maka's. Soul responded by giving her a look of disgust and stormed off, leaving Maka frowning.**

**'hmm… Soul has not been acting himself now has he?' Kid stated watching the sythe storming down the hall way.**

**'Yeah, he has turned into a total dick.' Liz replied following Kids gaze**

**Maka quickly turned from her glance.**

**'Oh who cares about that idiot.' Maka spat in disgust.**

Maka: _It's because you threw him out of our apartment you fucking stupid whore_!

Soul: Oh, there she is!

Crona: I was getting worried…

**'I can understand Soul being upset by the situation, but he has been acting very odd.' Kid thought.**

**'You Guys!'**

**The four friends turned to find Stewart embracing Maka and kissing her on the cheek.**

Crona: *twitch*

**Maka busted into hysterics**

Maka: If by that, you mean that I freaked out because some Gary Stu had the balls to actually kiss me, only for me to then put a hole in his chest with my fist, then OK, I'd buy that!

**until she saw Kids face she froze. Kid was looking down at the floor in full concentration, his eyes dead serious and a frown of confusion found in his face. Maka had never seen him this serious since he questioned his own father.**

**'Err Kid?' Stewart asked**

**Kid realising he was with people, looked up, and smiled.**

**'Oh yes. Will you two please excuse us. Liz, Patti' Kid motioned as he walked off.**

**Paddy followed off behind him as Liz gave Maka the face **_**his in one of his moments**_**,**

Soul: Again with the oddly specific looks…only in a different fic this time.

**gave a quick wave goodbye and ran off to Paddy, leaving Maka in bewilderment and Stewart sweating.**

**After spending lunch with Stewart, Maka found herself walking to Deaths office.**

**'Lord death you wanted to see me?' Maka asked walking into the room but froze. There stood Tzubaki, Blackstar and him on the other side of the room arms crossed and leaning on the wall.**

Crona: "Him"? Him who?

**The two made eye contact which ended with Soul snorting and Maka clenching her teeth.**

Crona: Oh…that him…

Maka: Was that supposed to be dramatic?

**'Ah miester Maka please join us. We were just discussing how you how you want a new partner. Is that right?' Lord death greeted.**

**'Yes lord death that is correct.' Maka answered refusing to look at Soul.**

**'And you are fine with this Soul?' Lord death asked.**

**'Like I give a dam. In fact I will be grateful that I don't have to work with that bitch anymore.' Soul spat.**

**'SOUL!" Tzubaki cried**

**'What's got in to you? You've been acting like a real jerk lately.' Blackstar asked looking at the weapon in disbelief.**

Maka: *hits head repeatedly on tray* Rrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

Crona: …*pats Maka's back*

**'Oh **_**shut up**_**. You idiot like you can talk. Lets face it the only jerk around here is you. You and your high and mighty act. We all know its face and that you feel so insecure about yourself that you state huge lies. As if anyone looks up to you as if anyone calls you a hero. Your nothing but a loser.' Soul spat in disgust.**

Soul: I'd comment on how that was harsh or something, but Black*Star would just laugh that shit off. And then punch the guy in the face. …hint, hint.

**'THAT'S IT I"VE HAD IT!' Blackstar bellowed about to tackle Soul but Kid beat him to it.**

**Soul was slammed into a wall with Kid standing in front holding his weapons Liz and Paddy to Souls stomach.**

**'KID! STOP!' Spirit cried but Stein interrupted him.**

**'It's ok Spirit he is with me.' He stated now walking towards Kid and Soul.**

Maka: And that makes it OK? I mean, I know Professor Stein has a lot of power and all, but how is that an excuse?

**'Where's Soul?' Kid hissed between clench teeth**

**'I don't know what you're talking about' Soul mused**

**Kid raised Liz and Paddy closer making Soul shiver.**

**'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!' Maka shrieked in disbelief of what she was seeing.**

**'Soul where is he! Tell Me NOW!' Kid horsed becoming impatient.**

**All of a sudden an evil smile came across Soul's face as he gave an evil chuckle sending the hairs on Maka's back to stand up, she shuddered.**

**'Kid what are you talking about? That **_**is**_** Soul' Blackstar asked confused at the scene that was taking place.**

Soul: I'm pretty sure that that evil laugh explained that that _wasn't_ me.

Maka: …Black*Star's an idiot in this one too, isn't he?

Crona: Looks that way…

Maka: Honestly, I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for Black*Star now. He's not stupid, he's just…he's…well…

Crona: …he's Black*Star?

Maka: Yeah…

**Kid sighed and of Paddy.**

All: …huh?

**Soul screamed and to Maka's shock he started to change shape.**

Soul: Oh, he shot him.

**Soul started to shrink and his hair became darker, then what stood in front of them was a brown eyed, brown haired, shaggy boy laughing hysterically.**

Crona: *screams* There's another…another…another…*faints*

Maka: AH! Crona! *starts shaking Crona* Come on, wake up! It's just an extra!

Soul: …what the hell have I gotten myself into…?

**'Does that answer your question' Kid hissed 'Now WHERE IS HE!'**

**'**_**Who**_**' the kid laughed.**

**'I am becoming impatient you little brat..' Kid hissed until Stein interrupted. Without one single word Stein placed a hand on the kids face and closed his eyes. The kids eyes widened in horror as he started to scream, finally Stein let go.**

Maka: …the hell? Does Stein suddenly have mind powers now or something?

Soul: Weren't you busy reviving Crona?

Maka: Oh! Right! *shakes Crona* Crona, come on! He's probably just a plot device for this chapter alone!

Crona: *unconscious*

**'I think you should tell us where our friend is. Or would you like me to perform that task again?' Stein asked fixing the screw on the side of his head.**

**The kid looked at Stein in horror, he shook his head and scrunched his eyes not wanting to look at the man. Stein sighed and replaced his hand on the kid's head.**

**'NO! STOP! I"LL TELL! I"LL TELL!' the boy shrieked and broke down sobbing.**

**'Well are you going to tell, because my friends are becoming impatient?' Stein asked glancing at the agreed Kid and Black star who had now joined the scene placing Tzubaki's blade next to the kids throat. The kid looked at the three and finally gave in to defeat, he lowered his head.**

Soul: Yet again, Stein is our _teacher_. Stop acting like he's our age. It's getting really creepy.

**'He is with Medusa.'**

**Maka's eyes widened in disbelief as dread consumed her.**

**'W-what!' Stein cried**

**'Medusa wanted that pathetic blade, so we were sent here.' The boy stated.**

**He glanced at Maka and chuckled. 'The plan was so simple, take everything away from Soul, his reputation, his friends and his partner.' The boy chuckled.**

**'Why does Medusa want Soul!' Stein demanded**

**'What else? A strong weapon, the black blood in his blood… A perfect body for a Kieshin.' The kid mused as a twisted smile grew upon his face.**

Crona: *wakes up* Wait, what…?

Maka: …that's what got you up?

Crona: Th-That doesn't make any sense! I mean…when does this…how did…*points at self* _Hello_…?

Soul: …you do realize you just pretty much said that you want to be in this fic, right?

Crona: …*head meets tray*

Maka: *sighs, hugs Crona* Did you really have to do that, Soul?

Soul: Well, it's true…

**'What do you mean by **_**we**_**' Kid asked**

**The kid laughed ' surely Soul told you. In fact I think he told everybody that he didn't trust **_**that**_** guy.'**

**Maka's eyes widened as Soul's words came rushing through her head.**

_**That guy is always hiding behind alleyways…Maka I don't trust this guy,… Trust me Maka he isn't a good guy…, I overheard part of Stewarts conversation. He is planning something Maka. I think he is working with a witch…, He is using you Maka.**_

**Maka fell to her knees, as realization started to kick in.**

_**No this can't be happening!.. Stewart no please God! Please make this untrue**_** Maka pleaded.**

_**I REFUSE TO BE YOUR PARTNER ANYMORE DO YOU HEAR ME!.. Your family is right! your worthless, you should just jump in a hole an die, no one will care… Can't you see no one cares about you! Isn't that why they say 'oh its Wes's brother!'.. Hell in fact I love your brother more than you,and I haven't even met the guy!.. I hate you. I HATE YOU NOW GET THE HELL OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN DO YOU HEAR ME! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!'**_

**Tears fell down Maka's cheaks as her hurtful words were being repeated over and over again. Soul was right all along, he was trying to warn her, to protect her but she didn't trust him. She abused him and he was suffering because of it. She mistrusted him. Guilt changed to pure hatred as she remembered who was the reason that Maka didn't trust Soul. Stewart.**

Maka: _Oh no you don't_! You don't get to pass this off on to someone else, bitch! Even if it is a worthless OC, you were stupid enough to fall for him and abandon one of your best friends! This is all on you!

**'STEWART!' Maka screeched as she ran down the school corridor in rage trying to find the traitor. She couldn't believe it. How could she? Someone who she thought adored her , treasured her and had a special relationship with. Was it all a trick? Maka didn't care she just wanted the truth. Tears started to fall down Maka's cheeks and finally bursted into hysterics, shuddering and crying desperately trying to reach the apartment.**

Crona: …*shaking with anger*

Soul: …this is getting ridiculous. First Maka gets turned into a stalker, and now she gets turned into a blubbering 50's female stereotype. Do these people even _try_ to make her likeable?

**As she finally reached the apartment building she slumped onto the building wall trying to control her crying.**

**'Soul.' She mumbled giving into defeat .**

**All of a sudden she heard a clinking noise from her apartment. Maka looked up just to catch a glimpse of a man and a jacket. She knew who's jacket it was.**

**'Stewart' she growled running up to her apartment as she pushed the door violently open there he stood. Stewart, bags packet, the apartment half empty, looking at Maka will dull eyes.**

**'Ah so you have heard.' He stated in a mellow tone**

**'How dare you!' She shrieked.**

**In full rage Maka threw a punch though to her surprise Stewart grabbed the blow, twisting her arm behind her back slamming her body against a wall.**

Maka: Oh, are you _shitting_ me? I throw one punch and that's it? Just…why do people make me so pathetic?

Crona: Oh, I'll be sure to ask that when I find them…after I get…_acquainted_ with them…

**'Do you want to know how I did it?' Stewart sneered.**

**Maka twisted her body trying to wiggle out of the hold but Stewart pushed her arm higher slamming her body against the floor.**

**'I thought this would be a challenge. Here I was horrified to think I had to win the heart of Maka Albarn and not only that, split the great Soul Eater from partnership. I trembled at the thought, but, no one disobeys Medusa, oh no. No one dares to do that, luckily she has a potion.'**

**Maka's eyes widened as he leaned closer, she shuddered feeling his breath on her neck.**

**'Oh please, did you really think humans eyes could be so seductive? It was **_**very **_**easy to win your heart. All I had to do was act nice and make you stare into my eyes. I had everyone. Everyone. Even Lord Death. I had all of them wrapped around my fingers, apart from one.' Stewart chuckled sending chills down Maka's spine.**

All: …wait, _WHAT_?

**'It's funny how the bait never follows the trap.'**

**In anger Maka struggled harder when all of a sudden she heard a crack, she screamed in agony as Stewart chuckled.**

**'And of course the Great Soul Eater did not just let me off that easy, he knew something was going on. After all he did tell you I was acting suspicious and couldn't be trusted. In fact he told everyone and no one listened not even his own partner who even said she hated him. It's funny how anger scented candles can put people on edge.'**

**Maka started to cry.**

**'Oh please. You surely didn't think I loved you. I slipped love potion in a few of your drink to make sure you were obsessed with me. Soul caught on quickly though, didn't he say that I was using you and he was right. It's funny how karma works, first you break his heart and now I break yours.'**

Soul: …so, let's just recap real quick here: Gary Stu got his Gary Stuness from love potions powerful enough to fool Death itself, and "anger scented candles"?

Maka: That has got to be the most asinine excuse for a Gary Stu I've ever heard! Mind-controlling love potions? Candles that magically make people angry? Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he just added this stuff halfway through the story because people were saying he made a Stu! I mean, how does he even know-

Crona: Actually…witches do use love potions…

Maka: …they do?

Soul: What makes you so sure?

Crona: *looks down*…well…who would sleep with her willingly, right…?

Maka: …*hugs Crona*

Soul: …Crona…

**Stewart lifted Maka back onto the wall lifting her arm higher until she screamed. Quickly he let go and flipped her slamming her arms above her head so they were face to face.**

**'That my dear darling is nothing compared to what your beloved Soul is feeling right now, and he has been feeling like that for a whole month, after all he would never disobey the academy. Medusa became rusty over the years but it's good to see her back to her old self, in fact it's amazing how much that boy can scream.'**

**All of a sudden the door busted open to reveal Blackstar, Kid, their weapons, Stein and Spirit.**

**'MAKA!' Kid cried**

**Stewart pushed Maka into the gang and in a second he disappeared.**

**'SOUL!' Maka creamed running down the hallway ignoring the cries from her companions. Maka ran down the street when suddenly she was lifted into the air.**

**'NO! let me go! SOUL!' Maka screamed in hysterics, kicking, punching trying anything to get out of the grasp.**

**'Maka calm down!' Spirit stated trying to keep hold of the flighty girl.**

**'You don't understand their killing him!' She shrieked**

**Maka kept on struggling until she finally gave in and began to cry. Her father picked her up as if she was five and walked slowly back to the apartment.**

Maka: *sighs* Great, I'm relying on "daddy dearest" in this fic too…

**'It's ok Maka everything is going to be fine daddy will make sure of it.'**

Maka: …yeah, buckets would be pretty good for situations like this.

**Spirit opened the door to find to find Tsubaki trying to calm down Blackstar, Kid Liz and Paddy sitting on the ground in defeat and Stein examining the burnt marks on the carpet.**

**'he had opened a portal. He was planning on leaving days ago.' Stein stated**

**'That fucking bastard is gonna pay!' Blackstar growled laying off a punch dinting the wall.**

Crona: …um…wasn't the rating for this K+?

**Stein stood up and slowly walked over to Maka to analyse her arm who was being comforted by the girls.**

**'It appears to be dislocated but nothing more than what medicine can fix' Stein stating trying to comfort the girl.**

Soul: Oh, I wasn't aware they made a special medicine that magically repaired dislocated arms.

**Maka stared at the ground. She was hoping, begging that this was all a joke. She prayed to see Soul and Stewart burst out of Soul's room laughing hysterically, but no matter how hard she looked at the door no one came out. Maka finally gave in and felt a light touch on her shoulder. Maka looked up to find Tsubaki's sober face.**

**'Maka, Stein wants us all to stay at the Academy tonight and I was wondering if you will accept the invitation?' Tsubaki asked**

**Maka looked at the door once more and with no movement nodded. Tsubaki put on a brave smile.**

**'Come on lets pack.'**

Maka: Poor excuse for a sleepover.

Crona: …a what?

Maka: Oh, it's where a bunch of friends stay over at one person's house overnight.

Crona: …why?

Maka: …why not?

Soul: Well gee, when you use logic like that…

**Maka hadn't slept at all that night. She sighed her head pressed on a pillow. How could she sleep? All Maka could think about was the fight that had commenced between her and Soul. HIS face, full of hurt as her words cut deep like daggers. Maka didn't know much about Soul's family, though he let her in, he had trusted her and she abused it.**

Maka: I'd still like to know how she found that out…

**Not only did she crush him with his family but also stated that she hated him, how could she be so naive? **_**'Its amazing how much that boy can scream.'**_** Maka was terrified of what Medusa was doing to Soul, horrifying thoughts entered Maka's mind as images played through her thoughts of what he may be going through. Why hadn't she taken his advice? She should of calmed down, realised what she was saying, then she would of never kicked him out and Soul would remain right here next to her. Wouldn't he? No. Maka always had to win, she knew, if she hadn't kicked Soul out than about an hour later he would of stormed off, left', had it and Medusa would grasp him either way.**

Soul: *singing* Wrong wrong wrong wrong! Wrong wrong wrong wrong! You're wrong! You're wrong! You're wroooooooong!

**A tear slid down her cheek. Maka hadn't talked to anyone, she just stared and watched Tsubaki pack her clothes. She felt numb and empty blaming herself for the cause. As the two girls reached the academy a room was filled with mattresses placed everywhere, but this time Kid didn't have a breakdown that the mattresses were not in symmetrical form.**

Maka: Well, how do you like that? The one time a fic specifically mentions that Kid isn't obsessing over symmetry, and it's in a situation where he easily would.

Crona: Why do people who don't know us at all try to write about us…?

**'Blackstar are you ok?' Kids voice echoed around the room. Obviously he wasn't sleeping either.**

**'I'm firkin pissed off! 100 times I have tried to break out of this stupid room and Sid always seems to find me! FUCKING MEDUSA '**

Crona: Again, isn't the rating a little low for that…?

**Blacstars rough voice replied, he sighed 'I just don't understand why Stein wanted us to sleep here tonight.'**

**There was a long pause.**

**'Is Maka asleep?' Kid asked**

**'I think so. It took her a while but I think she is resting now out of pure exhaustion' Tsubaki's sober voice replied.**

Crona: And why does this keep referring to Tsubaki's voice as "sober"…?

Maka: Maybe she can somehow counteract the effects of alcohol?

Soul: That'd be convenient…especially when I start my drinking habit…

Maka: Soul, seriously, if you start drinking, you're gonna wake up in the morning with a bottle where it hurts the most.

Soul: …party pooper.

**'Poor Maka' Liz stated**

**'Good. To my understanding Stein wanted us to stay here for the night to comfort one and another, especially Maka. Probably after seeing us play basket ball the other day.'**

Soul: …let me guess, people assume we do that all the time, don't they?

Maka: First time I've seen it referenced, but I'm guessing yes…

**'But no matter how tough the mission was, Stein never placed us in a room together for comfort before so why now?' Blackstar asked**

**' That's what I am afraid of. Didn't you see the state of Maka after we got to the apartment. She was hysterical. Obviously Stewart had a little chat with her before leaving. In fact if Stein didn't order us to stay in this room I would of moved in just to make sure she wouldn't do anything stupid.' Kid stated**

**'We all would' Tsubaki comforted**

**'Stein very well knows what Medusa is capable of and from the order of us to stay here tonight I am afraid that Soul's condition may not be well.'**

Soul: No, really? "May not be well"? Whatever gave you that idea? I mean, yeah, I'm feeling a bit ill after I was basically _tentacle raped_ and captured by the one villain we fight who _just won't go away_!

**'Poor Soul' Paddy murmured**

Maka: Thank you for that understatement, Patty's Irish cousin.

**All of a sudden a growl echoed around the room from Blackstar and a loud crash followed. In fear Maka jumped out of bed to reveal three beds toppled over one and another with Kid, Liz and Paddy collapsed on the floor tangled in their own body's their faces full of shock. Blackstar was found on the opposing side crouched down is fury.**

**'BLACKSTAR!' Tsubaki cried**

**'Medusa is gonna wish she was never born when I'm finished with her' Blackstar growled**

**'You're angry with Medusa so you KNOCK US OVER! WHAT THE HELL BLACKSTAR!' Liz shrieked leading her sister into laughter.**

Maka: …oooooookay…

**Maka slowly found the dread disappearing out of her stomach, a smile stretched across her face and finally she started laughing. As she fell to the floor she looked up to find the lost faces of her companions, thus making her laugh harder. Tear started to form in her eyes and soon she found herself sobbing.**

**Tsubaki was the first one there and grasped Maka in a tight hug cradling her, followed by the gang. Maka cried, she cried hard and loud in the middle of the group hug until she couldn't cry no more from pure exhaustion slowly her eyes started to close as Maka fell in a deep sleep hearing the whispering comfort from her friends.**

**'Don't worry we will get him back'**

Crona: …*hugs Maka*

Maka: Eh?

Crona: I-I just thought i-it was a g-good idea…

Soul: *hugs Maka*

Maka: S-Soul! What the hell?

Soul: What? He said it was a good idea.

Maka: Do you always listen to what he says? Besides, cool guys can't get hugs but they can give them?

Soul: I won't tell anyone if you won't.

Maka: …*sigh* Boys…

**'Yeah its Soul were talking about, it takes a lot to bring him down.'**

**Maka woke up to a light hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to reveal a happy Blackstar, his face too close to hers.**

**'HEY MAKA! GUESS WHAT ITS TIME TO LEAVE!WOOHOOO!' Blackstar cheered lifting Maka over his shoulders spinning her around.**

**'AHHHHH BLACKSTAR' Maka's croaky voice cried.**

Maka: What is with everyone in this fic and invading my personal space?

**'BLACKSTAR PUT HER DOWN!' Liz screamed**

**Slowly Blackstar placed Maka back on the mattress.**

**'We are we going?' Maka asked watching her friends pack.**

**'Sorry Maka you just looked so peaceful , we wanted you to sleep in. Earlier Lord Death organised a meeting. We are going to get Soul back.' Tsubaki stated**

Maka: Oh, yeah, then by all means, let me sleep in! It's not like this is important or anything!

**'How early?' Maka asked**

**'Round seven thirty'**

**'And what is the time now?'**

**'Five in the afternoon.'**

**'Well tell me the plans!' Maka pleaded**

_**Soul I am coming for you**_

Soul: *twirls finger* Whoopee.

**Hi everyone!**

Maka: Oh, I was wondering when we'd get one of these.

**I would just like to say THANKYOU so much for reading my story I really appreciate it and yes please do place any ideas u would like in the story and I will try and put them into my story.**

Soul: Yeah, getting ideas from the people who read your crap and think it's good is always a solid plan.

**U GUYS ARE AWESOME!**

Soul: In comparison to you? Absolutely.

**Medusa was annoyed. Frustrated to be exact. Not only had she had to drug Soul as Stewart plainly arrived in sight but the news he brought along.**

**They know**

**Medusa sighed walking down the corridor. To her surprise Soul was stronger than she anticipated. Too strong for her liking. She had tried many things, whipping, drowning, all her mind games yet he would refuse. It was her daggers that would make him scream. She would have to go a step further.**

Crona: …this isn't going to be good…

**Medusa opened the door. There he was collapsed on the floor not moving, his bloody back towards her. Slowly as she moved he seemed to curl up in a tight ball, finally deciding to get away from her, she watched Soul sliding his body against the floor. Medusa grabbed his leg, flipped him and dragged his scared, brused back on the floor. She watched as he clenched his teeth in pain trying not to show it on his face. She sighed and poured a glass full of wisky that she was hoping to drink. He yelped. Desperate he produced a blade near his knee making Medusa let go of him instantly. Slowly with the little strength he had, Soul weakly crawled away. In fury Medusa grabbed his ankle making him slide underneath her. Medusa pegged him down with arrows her stern face absorbing his.**

Soul: …well, that's just plain ol' fucked up…

Maka: …I'm gonna miss sleeping…

Crona: It's not so bad once you get used to it…

**'How did you sleep darling?' Medusa purred tracing her finger down his face.**

Soul: *shudder*

**He flinched.**

**'I'm not your darling.'**

**Medusa face hardened. He was being uncooperative. A small smile came across her face. She had been saving her plan for later purposes but out of pressure and losing time she would have to use it now.**

**'Still in denial I see. You still think they are coming after you? Why? Tell me Soul, why would they come? What is their reason? It's been a month already. If they were going to save you wouldn't they have arrived earlier?' Medusa asked.**

**She smiled, it was working, she had him. She watched as his angered face turned into pain and sorrow, he became limp in her grasp, his eyes looking down wards, not making eye contact. Maybe this was her chance?**

**'They don't want you Soul, remember? Even your own meister, partner, best friends hates you. That's why they haven't come. You are worthless to them. They all hate you.'**

**Soul's eyes became wider as Medusa's words absorbed through his mind.**

**'Though who could blame them, her. You're worthless.' Medusa purred lying on top of Soul her lips right next to his ear.**

Soul: Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, UGH.

**'They all hate you. People who are hated have to stick together. Join me Soul, join me and I promise all the hurt you feel will end. The pain will stop. I promise'**

**Soul clenched his eyes and turned away from her. A simple word he croaked.**

**'no'**

**In anger Medusa grabbed his chin forcefully so he looked her right in the eye.**

**'Why?' she hissed**

**He responded 'Rachael.'**

**Medusa became agitated she was losing the game.**

Soul: …who's Rachael?

Maka: I dunno, but it sounds familiar…

Crona: Wait…I think that was the name of the little girl she possessed…

Soul: …but…wouldn't that mean…

Maka: That she's still possessing her?

All: …*horrified screams*

Maka: OhGodohGodohGodohGodOHGOD!

Soul: I need a bucket, _and I need it NOW_!

Crona: The images…I can't get the images out of my head!

**'I am not going to hurt innocent people, or Maka, or Stein or Death. I am not going to place innocent people in harm. I am not working for a shit like you.' Soul spoke**

**Medusa quickly stood up. This wasn't good. She waved her hand and before her a chain danced around her arm. She flicked it and the chain swirled around Soul before attaching itself to his neck.**

**'Come mutt.' She commanded pull her finger towards her. In a flash Soul was dragged to her feet before collapsing to the floor coughing and splattering holding the chain around his neck. She lifted her arm up in the response the chain started to fly to the ceiling dragging Soul to a standing position. She finally stopped when he feet were just touching the ground. She lifted her right hand and a black snake crawled down her towards her wrist, transforming into a whip.**

Soul: You have _got_ to be kidding me…

**'Do you like her? She's called the typan'**

Crona: …the what?

Maka: I don't know and I don't _want_ to know.

**Medusa purred watching soul grasping the chains to prevent him from choking.**

**'Do you want to know why she is called that? Because she bites' She mused lifting the ends of the whip that contained tine sharp blades. She laughed as Soul's eyes widened as she danced to position.**

**CRACK**

Soul: …please tell me we're done…

Crona: One more chapter…

Soul: *groan*

**'Stein?' Maka asked as she watched her teacher packing certain equipment into bags.**

**'Yes Maka?'**

**'I want to come along…I want to get stronger.'**

**Stein stiffened and finally sighed twisting the screw in his head.**

**'I thought this would happen.' Stein stated**

**'I am Soul's partner so he is my responsibility.' Maka replied dryly**

Maka: "Dryly"? Oh, yeah, that makes me sound _real_ concerned about him!

**'and I am quite capable of attending a mission without a weap…'**

**'I know Maka' Stein interrupted 'but I am afraid that you might not like what you see and I can't let you fall into misery letting your guard drop, we are planning to enter the enemies den remember.'**

Maka: OK, even if I hadn't just seen what was going on…"might not like"? To quote these guys, _gee, you think_?

**Maka's fists tightened. **_**Its amazing how much that boy can scream**_**. She wanted to kill Stewart.**

Crona: She's definitely not alone there…

**'Although' Stein interrupted her thoughts 'Soul might need you there, after all you two are quite close, but, you will still need a weapon and I am afraid you won't like what I have to offer.'**

**'I don't care I will take on anything!' Maka pleaded.**

**'Well then let's go ask your father.'**

Maka: *facepalm* Great…

**Spirit gapped at Stein, his mouth widely agape and eyes about to pop out of their sockets. Stein sighed as Spirit finally caught up with his mind.**

**'A-are you sure?' Maka's father stuttered still in complete shock.**

**'Yes I am quite certain. You are the only weapon that matches similar towards Maka's soul wavelength. Now before you start dancing and prancing around singing in joy why don't you save your energy for training.?' Stein asked freezing Spirit in his tracks.**

**'Training?' Spirit asked in confusion**

**'Yes, let's get starting shall we?' Stein stated opening the door for Maka to enter.**

_**She loves me. My Maka loves me. SHE LOVES ME! Ok Spirit you are a death scythe remember, keep your cool. You want to show how cool you are then start acting like it! BUT SHE…**_

Soul: Well, at least he's in character.

Maka: Not exactly hard…

**Spirit stopped his thoughts in his tracks at the sight of his daughter. She was looked rigid and stiff, her shoulders were slouched and dark rings hug underneath her eyes. Spirit had never seen his daughter so serious before. As Maka walked closer she held out her hand without saying a single word her eyes glancing on the floor. With caution Spirit slowly took her hand and transformed. He felt her. She had quite a familiar feel, like her mother's though it seemed to be hidden with her emotions. There was anger and a broken heart from Stewart, guilt and fear for Soul and the greatest feeling of determination to become stronger.**

Crona: …I almost thought he finally understood Maka there…but considering she didn't act at all like that through this entire fic, this is clearly copied from somewhere just to make it seem like he knows what he's talking about.

**'Quite impressive.' Stein smiled 'How does it feel Maka?'**

**'Its hot but nothing that can't be dealt with.'**

**'Good, now lets swing him around, shall we?'**

**They trained for the rest of the day, as Maka got used to using her new weapon and Stein became quite helpful giving her new tricks and pointers to improve her skill. Spirit transformed in the afternoon as Maka lay on the floor, sweaty and panting hard.**

**'Were done for today.' Stein stated**

**'NO!' Maka panted 'again!'**

**'No Maka we have had enough, now will you two excuse me I have some packing to consider.' Stein stated walking out of the room.**

**'It's ok Maka we did great today.' Spirit soothed giving out his hand.**

**Maka looked at the hand and started to cry.**

_**OH GOD SHE HATES ME! But what did I do! IM SORRY MAKA! **_**Spirit panicked as Maka slowly stood up.**

Maka: See what I have to put up with…?

Soul: Yeeeeep.

Crona: Mhm…

**Quickly she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, gave a fake smile and was heading for the door. Until Spirit stopped her.**

**'Come on its time to eat.' He sung**

**'I'm fine' Maka snapped brushing off her father's hand on her shoulder, like getting rid of a fly.**

**'No Maka you need to eat.' Spirit interjected.**

**'I said I was fine!' Maka snapped her voice raising a few bars as she stormed out of the room.**

**Suddenly she felt her arm being pulled back. Maka was about to yell until she saw the expression on her father's face.**

**'Now you listen to me Maka.' Spirit roused, like when she was little.**

**'If you are planning to go in the enemies den and kill yourself then you have the wrong thing coming. You said you wanted to get stronger, well there's no point in getting stronger when you not strong within the mind. If you like it or not I am still your father, you think you just have to be physically stronger? I can tell you from the mission you are planning on doing you need to be twice as strong within the mind, which is meaning you need a right attitude. If you are not planning to have the right attitude I refuse to be your partner and you might as well give up on Soul. '**

Soul: Yeah, I think I'll translate for you folks at home: "Yeah, I'm a doofus, a complete moron, and a cheating bastard, but I'm still your father, which means you have to respect me while I tell you some fake help bullshit that won't really help you at all but sounds like it might, and blah blah blah."

Maka: …an excellent summation, Soul. Thank you.

Soul: My pleasure.

**Maka glared at her father, finally she started to sob, she felt warm comforting hands wrap around her.**

**' Do you know why Stein let you come along with this mission? It wasn't to prove how strong you are or for to become stronger. Stein allowed you to come because Soul will need you. He is going to want you and need you to be there for him Maka, and by the way Stein has been stating Soul will be terribly hurt. Maka you need to be stronger in the mind so you can overcome your feelings and be there for him. That is why Stein allowed you to attend. Soul needs you.'Spirit comforted her hugging his daughter**

Soul: Oh, wait, apparently he isn't done. "I'm gonna pretend that I know what your friend would want despite knowing nothing about him besides what my delusional overprotectiveness tells me, which is that he's a teenage boy and therefore wants into your pants, and also, more fake help bullshit, blah blah."

**'Come on lets go eat, I don't think it will be a great reunion if Soul started yelling at you because you haven't eaten.' Spirit joked.**

**Maka smiled.**

**'I can hear him now.' Maka laughed**

_**What do you mean you haven't eaten?.. DAM IT MAKA!**_

**'Yes and it would not be nice to hear you two fighting the whole way back to the academy. Come on I know this really nice place for pasta.'**

Maka: Quick question: what is everyone's fascination with me patching things up with my dad? I don't like my dad, I'm not about to start liking my dad, and no faux fatherly-advice routine or sad situation is going to change that!

/

The lights slowly came back on, and the trio stared at the screen in disbelief. None of them laid back, made any noises or any comments, or gave any acknowledgement that it was finally over. They simply sat in silence.

Finally, after a few long minutes, Crona quietly got to his feet. Without a word, he reached behind his back, and with a brief flash of black light, pulled Ragnarok the sword out from behind him.

He clenched his right arm with his left hand, spreading his legs and taking a fighting stance. He raised his sword behind him, ready to start swinging…only to stop when he felt a hand grasp onto his shoulder. He turned to look to his left to see Maka on her feet, a small smile on her face.

"Oh, no you don't." she ordered. "I'm not letting you have all the fun this time."

Crona blinked in confusion, while Maka turned to look at Soul. Grin widening on her face, she held out a hand to him.

"Feel like venting a little bit?"

Soul grinned. "_Do I_?"

A brilliant flash of blue light emanated from Soul as his form changed. He leapt into Maka's hand, nothing more than pure energy, before becoming something different entirely. Maka gripped the long black pole, that ended in the hilt with a red eye on it, that was connected to the long red-and-black curved blade.

Maka hoisted Soul Eater, Death Scythe, onto her shoulder and stared at the screen in front of her. She then turned to look at Crona, a determined smile on her face.

"Ready?"

Crona nodded, pointing Ragnarok at the screen.

The two turned, gave dual war cries, and leaped at the large white cloth.

Most of that moment from then on was a blur to Crona. He remembered cutting through the cloth. He remembered getting to the cameras and various wiring behind it. He remembered his wild slashes at the lengthy wires and jumping in surprise from the sparks that came out. He remembered laughing when Maka stomped on the camera over and over again, calling it nasty names while both Soul and Ragnarok cheered her on. It was just random, chaotic destruction, and as much as he hated to admit it, it was _fun_.

However, there was one moment that stuck out in particular.

It was when they first started hacking away at the screen. He had just swung at random, not putting any thought into his movements and just letting instinct guide him. Yet he stopped for a moment and watched Maka, and, like every time he watched her in action, he was in awe. Every move, every cut, every step, every spin, every swing, was made with care and forethought, almost making an art out of it. It was grace. It was beauty. It was everything Crona could use to describe Maka in action.

And yet he knew that it wasn't just Maka that made it work so well. He knew that if Maka and Soul weren't moving in perfect synch with the other, they would just be as wild and formless as he was. Their souls were in perfect alignment, as meister and weapon should be. He was calm and collected, and she was bold and courageous. Two halves of a whole. They completed each other.

_Like they were made for each other…_ Crona bitterly thought. Not for the first time, most likely not for the last. And, once again, he wondered where he fit. He wondered how he could come between the two of them, or if he could at all. He wondered if, perhaps, he never had a chance at all.

"_I would never let some boy come between me and my friends!"_

That one sentence resurfaced in Crona's mind almost instantly, and it was enough to bring his spirits back up. Whatever the scenario, whether it was him or Soul…he knew that she wouldn't leave him behind, not ever. And so, before Maka noticed that Crona had stopped, he joined back in on the chaos.

Once they had finished, Soul lay on the floor of the theater, back in his human form, while Maka and Crona sat back-to-back beside him, all three tired from their antics. But none of them regretted their bit of catharsis, for it was exactly what they needed after what they had been through.

"So…" Soul breathed out. "What happens now?"

Maka rubbed some sweat off of her forehead. "Well…usually this is where we go over what we read and point out just what went wrong and why."

"So we say why these sucked such ridiculous amounts of ass?"

"Exactly."

Soul sighed. "Well, for starters, _I'm not gay_."

Maka started giggling, and Crona let out a chuckle or two, before continuing Soul's thought process. "Y-Yeah, we know that…but the story also messed up everyone's characters, and had virtually no plot outside of some random events…and when it tried to inject a plot, it just became a complete, confusing mess."

Maka nodded. "Exactly. And the other one had two OCs, one of which was nothing but a set-up to Soul being captured by Medusa for an idiotic reason. Everyone else acted like total idiots, and when the fic tried to explain why they were to cover the author's ass, it just fell apart. Not to mention the _very_ Squicky possibility that Soul had a Medusa-possessed six-year-old-girl coming on to him…"

Soul shuddered, quickly putting a hand over his mouth. "Maka, please, I'm trying to keep my lunch where it's supposed to be…"

Maka gave another giggle, while Crona turned his head to the side to look at Maka. "But we're forgetting the most important part…"

Soul rolled over onto his stomach. "That's right…"

Maka frowned. "Which is?"

"You are _not_ a Yandere." Crona muttered.

"Or a blubbering baby." Soul added.

Maka blinked, then smiled. "Oh yeah?" She then pointed at Soul. "Well, you are _not_ a weak-willed, whiny child or a greedy attention whore."

She then looked back at Crona, nudging him with her elbow. "And you most certainly are _not_ a coward."

Crona blushed at that, quickly turning away and facing forward. Soul got to his feet, stretching and giving a slight yawn.

"You know what? We need to _do_ something…"

Maka smiled up at him, an idea popping up in her head. "We should have a sleepover!"

"…really, Maka?" Soul replied with an incredulous look.

"Oh, come on, Soul! Crona's never had one before!"

Crona blinked, looking back at Maka. "Y-You don't have to do that for me, Maka…"

"What? Are you saying you don't want to sleep over at our place?"

"W-Well, that's…that isn't what I…"

Soul sighed, already giving up. "Alright, alright. But can you not call it a "sleepover", Maka? We're not little kids anymore."

"Oh, whatever, Soul. So sorry I'm cramping your coolness by wanting to hang out with my friends overnight."

"Yes, yes, that's all me, alright." Soul sarcastically retorted as he walked by the two towards the stairs. "I'm all about cool and everything associated with it. Hence why I wear an open leather jacket and a hairband and why I gel my natural white hair every day."

"Great, glad we got that sorted out."

Soul rolled his eyes, turning back to look at the two of them. "You coming or what?"

"You go on ahead. We'll catch up in a minute."

Crona blinked. Why didn't that sound good?

Soul frowned, then shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll meet you back at the apartment."

And with that, Soul turned and ascended the stairs, heading out the twin doors.

Crona started to get worried, but quickly calmed himself down. What could possibly be wrong? They had just excised their problems on the equipment around them, which he knew would be repaired by the next time he went. Maka was probably just tired, and wanted a few minutes to rest. Nothing to really worry about.

"Crona?"

"Mm?"

"I…I want to apologize…"

Crona froze. He definitely hadn't expected that. "A-Apologize…?"

"It's about what we've done the past couple of weeks…"

Crona blinked as he turned to look back at her. _Why would she need to apologize for that?_

"The truth is…I've been using you, Crona…"

"…using me…?"

"What happened to Soul today…what we went through, back then…I've been trying to avoid it as much as possible…I didn't want to think about it…"

Crona turned his body around, getting on his knees and looking at Maka's back.

"So…so I just hung around you…spending as much time with you as I could…I tried to justify it by saying that, since you went through the same thing, you would want to do this…but the truth is, I was just placating myself…"

Crona saw Maka's head lower, burying her face in her arms.

"I used you, Crona…I used you to distract myself, to make myself happy…rather than face the problem ahead of me, rather than try to actually deal with this…I got scared, Crona, and I hid behind you…"

Maka's head raised again, and when she spoke, her voice was very bitter.

"I guess that doesn't make me much better than _her_…does it?"

Crona froze, staring at Maka's back in disbelief. _She didn't just…she didn't…she didn't really…_

And before Crona knew what he was doing, his arms were wrapping around Maka's shoulders from behind, squeezing her tight as he buried his face in her back. Maka froze, shocked at the contact, surprised that Crona would even think of touching her after what she just said.

"C-Crona…?"

"Maka…please, Maka…don't ever say that again…"

Maka blinked in surprise, while Crona simply squeezed a little tighter and continued.

"You are better than her, Maka…you are so much better than her that you can't even be compared…you saved me from her, saved me from madness, again and again…I don't want to ever hear you compare yourself to her…"

"…Crona…"

"Y-You said that I made you happy…I'm glad for that, Maka…I really am…I don't care what your reasons were…I'm just glad I made you happy…"

"But…Crona, it was wrong of me to-"

"_I don't care_."

Maka blinked, surprised at the sudden firmness in Crona's voice.

"Maka…ever since we met, I've hid behind you…if you need to hide behind me…then I'll let you. I'll protect you this time. I…I want to protect you, if you need it…"

Without even realizing it, Maka's hands had moved up to grasp Crona's own.

"I don't care if I'm not strong like you, or brave like you…I can never be like you, Maka, I know that…I can't protect the world, or make everyone safe, or happy…but…if I can protect you…if I can make you happy…that's enough. That's all I want to do…"

Maka started to shake, and for the next few seconds, she focused everything on holding in the tears. _Don't cry, Maka Albarn. Not after that. He shouldn't have to hear you cry after he just said that. He deserves better than that. Hold it. Hold it._

"…thank you…Crona…but…we should still talk about this…"

She felt Crona give her a gentle squeeze in reply.

"When you're ready, Maka…when you want to talk, I'll be here to listen…"

/

_Epilogue_

Crona stared at the ceiling of Maka's apartment, curled up in his sleeping bag, sleep not ready to take him just yet.

The promised sleepover had certainly been an entertaining end to what felt like the longest day of Crona's life. Both Maka and Soul appeared to be as tired as he was, yet they tried to entertain him and the others. And in between Black*Star's loud, awful attempts at karaoke, to Kid obsessively rearranging Maka's bookshelves every other hour, to Blair once again "accidentally" walking in the room naked, and everything else that happened, Crona could safely say that his first ever sleepover would be an experience he wouldn't soon forget.

And yet, despite being so incredibly tired, his mind just refused to take a break. Sure, things had been resolved between him and Soul, and there was the promise of him and Maka finally talking about the events at the theater, but there were still a few things on his mind. For one, there was still the worry that any one of his friends could be next in line to suffer at the hands of their host. Despite his vow to protect Maka at all costs, he didn't want any of them to get hurt either. Yet it seemed like there was nothing that could be done, that it was just a matter of time.

_Make a room…_ That was the other thought that plagued Crona's mind. Where had that idea come from? How did he know that would help Soul? Was it their host again? Was it something else entirely? Crona thought that he could just answer that one question, maybe he could finally get some sleep.

Almost in response to his prayers, he heard a strange, yet familiar noise. But instead of it being that distinctive _splortch_, it was a low, quiet gurgling noise. And instead of something coming out of his back, he looked down as he felt Ragnarok slowly come out of Crona's chest, peeking his head out from under the sleeping back to look at Crona.

"Pssst. Hey. You're welcome, by the way." he whispered.

Crona frowned. "F-For what…?"

"For the little idea, numbnuts, Sheesh, you want to know where it came from, and I show up…put two and two together, for Christ's sake…"

Crona blinked. "Wait…th-that was you…?"

"Well, duh. I mean, where else would you get it? Frickin' Santa Claus?"

"But…but you didn't even pop out…"

"Didn't have to. I just whispered in your ear from inside. You just thought it just popped up in your head."

"But why not just come out and say it…?"

Ragnarok shrugged. "I dunno. It was pretty funny to see you worrying if you were crazy…again. So yeah, it was that."

"…but where'd you even get that idea…?"

"Well…" Ragnarok answered as he poked Crona's chest. "It's kinda like what we have. See, our minds are us. And your body is…like an apartment that we share. But I have my own room, which is my body. So we're the same, but separate too. That's how I got it."

Crona stared at Ragnarok. Sure, it seemed plausible that he'd come up with something, but that explanation was a little farfetched…still, it was the closest thing Crona had to an answer…

"Hey." Ragnarok whispered, jolting Crona out of his thoughts. "Don't you have something to say to me?"

Crona flustered a little, then looked to the side. "Th…thank you, Ragnarok…"

Ragnarok let out a low chuckle, then turned Crona's face to look at him. "Oh no, you're not getting off that easy. I just gave you your precious Maka's eternal gratitude for saving her partner's ass. You owe me _big_ for this one."

He then crossed his arms as he slowly returned to Crona's body. "So the first thing tomorrow morning you're taking us to a nice bakery and buying me a cake! I've got a serious chocolate craving and you're gonna satisfy it."

"…why didn't you just get some while we were at the theater?"

"I didn't want it _then_. I do want it _now_."

With that, Ragnarok was gone, back in Crona's body.

Crona stared at the ceiling, processing what he was just told. Ragnarok had willingly helped him. Somehow, that was difficult to comprehend, yet not impossible. Ragnarok had pulled Crona out of bad situations before, but that was because he had something to gain from it, or because he would be in danger if he did nothing. So why help Crona now?

Crona sighed, turning to his side in his sleeping bag. It didn't matter. He had his answer, and he could stop thinking about it. He wasn't crazy, the host wasn't messing with him, it was just Ragnarok being Ragnarok. Nothing more to worry about.

However, just before he could finally drift off into Dreamland, one thing Ragnarok said resurfaced in his mind.

_Maka's eternal gratitude…?_

Crona rolled back onto his back, placing a hand over his face.

_How am I supposed to deal with that?_

No, sleep wasn't ready for him just yet.

/

O-K! That's all done! I'm actually pretty proud of that last bit there, and I hope you guys like it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

As always, questions and suggestions are wanted, nay, _needed_. Please, send them!

I'll see you all again in a few!


	7. Story 5: Go 'Fer It! Part 1

Aaaaaalrighty then, we got ourselves another story! Thanks to all of you for the questions and suggestions.

Today's story comes recommended by BlackDragon987, so if you agree with what's said, you know who to thank. Disagree, and you know who to blame. In other words, it ain't my fault!

As always, I don't own Soul Eater.

You wanna get nuts? C'mon! Let's get nuts!

/

In case it wasn't made clear already, Crona had trouble dealing with problems. Not so much in that he couldn't problem solve, but, as he would usually say, he didn't know how.

Which is one of the many reasons he considered himself very fortunate to have met Maka. Not just because she was the nicest person he had ever met, or because she was one of the very few people who truly cared about him. She could teach him things that he never knew before, and help him understand things he needed to know.

And it was because of that that Crona came to a realization, as the two of them entered the theater that day. That there was one common method to dealing with problems:

Simply talk about them.

"I mean, whose hair-brained idea was it, anyway?" Maka wondered. "Half-weapon? Did they even think about the implications of that?"

Crona simply shrugged as they descended the stairs. They had discussed their portrayals in various mediums ever since their long discussion about their fictional nature. It still felt awkward to Crona to talk about that sort of thing, but he did try, mainly because of Maka's encouragement to do so.

"If half-weapons are possible, how many other half-weapons are out there?" Maka continued. "And what does that mean for full weapons? Tsubaki's brother was a weapon too, were both of their parents weapons? What about Liz and Patty's parents? Or Soul's parents? Is Soul's brother Wes a weapon too? These are things people will think about!"

Maka crossed her arms as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Not to mention, if certain families want to intentionally make full weapon children, that raises even more questions that I'm not entirely sure I want answered…"

Crona simply shuddered in reply as he wandered over to the snack table.

"And on top of all that, they don't even use the half-weapon bloodline thing for very long!" Maka continued as she sat in her seat. "No, instead they have me punch the freakin' Kishin Asura in the face, and he crumbles into little pieces because "he can't comprehend courage". I mean, there's pulling things that happen to be stuck in your ass, and then there's reaching for it!"

Crona gave a slight grimace at the analogy, but made no comments as he grabbed a bag of jellybeans and walked over to his seat.

"W-Well…at least you got to do something…" he replied. "I just sat on the sidelines, covered in Professor Stein's coat…"

"That was only because of Medusa." Maka explained. "And _that_ was only because of some stupidity involving her somehow weakening the black blood. Seriously, they couldn't have been more blatant in their setup for your Heroic Sacrifice!"

Crona sighed as he took his seat. _Well, at least they got that part of my character right…_ he thought as he opened the bag and placed it on the joined armrest between their two seats.

Maka looked at the bag, then at Crona, head tilted. Crona blinked in surprise.

"O-Oh…I th-thought we could share…"

Maka smiled, reaching over and hugging Crona. "Aww, thank you, Crona."

Crona gave a slight smile in response. "Y-You're welcome…"

The two resumed the conversation as the jelly snacks were slowly consumed.

"Come to think of it…" Maka continued. "That whole coat thing might be in response to the theory that Professor Stein's something of a father figure to you…"

"I don't really get that…" Crona replied. "We barely interacted at all…outside of a fight scene…I think…"

"Maybe it's just by association. After all, people like to think of Professor Marie as a mother figure for you, and since she appears to be interested in Professor Stein…"

Crona gave a small shudder, jellybean in hand. "W-Why do people keep thinking I need a new mother…? Maybe I don't _want_ one…"

Maka frowned. "Crona…"

"It's just…whenever I hear the word "mother"…I don't want to think about _her_, but I do anyway…she's all I knew about the subject for my entire life…I know Professor Marie is nothing like her. I mean, she's nice and all…but…I just don't know if I can think of her like that…"

Maka placed a hand on Crona's shoulder, gently rubbing it to comfort him.

"I think people just want you to be happy, Crona…or, maybe they think you'll do better with a "normal" family. I don't know if it'd work, but maybe it's just what they think will work."

Crona looked at Maka. "…Professor Marie and Professor Stein are a "normal" family?"

Maka giggled. "Well…OK, that might've been a poor choice of words…"

Her hand moved off of Crona's shoulder (much to his disappointment) and returned to the bag. "But the point is, I think people want to see you with a family. They probably figure you'll do better that way, despite it not really making a difference. I mean, look at me! My dad's a cheating jerk and I'm lucky to get a postcard from my mom once a month, and I turned out alright!"

_Better than alright…_ Crona thought. "That's actually something I've been wondering about…"

Maka frowned. "What, my stability in association with my family?"

"N-No! I-I mean…why do people need to give _me_ a new family and not anyone else…?"

"…what do you mean?"

"Well…Black*Star's parents are dead…no one knows what happened to Liz and Patty's parents…and Kid's mom is…"

Crona blinked, turning to look at Maka. "Actually…does Kid even have a mother?"

"I actually think Lord Death reproduced asexually."

"…so…Kid just…popped out one day?"

"Well, think about it. He's _Death_. He's a personification of a force of nature. Would it even be possible for someone to-"

"N-No…probably not…"

Maka frowned. "But…to answer your question, Crona…well…to be fair, you…"

"I've had it worse than anyone else…?"

Maka fidgeted a little, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation's direction, but nodded in reply.

The room grew quiet for a little bit, both sides not sure how to continue. After a while, Maka decided to go with her default answer, which was to reach over and give Crona another patented Maka Hug™. It took a few seconds, but Crona soon wrapped his arms around Maka in return.

"Would…would we have ever wondered about this…if we didn't know what we know now…?" Crona asked.

Maka gently squeezed Crona. "Who knows…? Maybe it doesn't matter…maybe dwelling on the past just makes things more complicated…"

…_I wonder if she means what I think she means by that…_ Crona thought. He felt Maka pull away from him and reluctantly let go of her. Maka grabbed one of her fanmail letters and held it up.

"Anyway…we should get to these, right?"

Crona nodded, and Maka opened her first letter.

_What outfit do you prefer to wear?_

"Hmm…well, I like this one. It's both functional in combat and it just looks cool. There's also a bit of an intimidation factor with it. On the other hand, my Spartoi outfit is pretty cute, but I'm always worried it's _too_ cute, you know? Like people have a hard time taking me seriously if I wear it too much…"

Maka turned to look at Crona. "What do you think, Crona?"

Crona jumped slightly, face quickly going red. "W-Well…th-they're both nice…I-I mean, either one i-is alright…"

Maka gave a slight sigh, but made no comments.

_She could walk in wearing fifteen layers of coats and she'd still look amazing…_ Crona thought.

_What types of books do you like to read?_

Maka sighed. "Why do people keep asking me that? Considering how much I read, it'd be hard to find a book type I _don't_ like to read."

"Raven gets asked that question a lot, too…" Crona muttered.

"Oh, the trials of being a bookworm…"

_Would you prefer to swim in a pool, the ocean, or a lake?_

"Doesn't really make much difference to me. I mean, swim in a pool, you deal with chlorine, but you swim in a lake or ocean, you get algae and little critters to worry about. So, either or."

Crona tilted his head as Maka opened her next letter. "Chlorine…?"

"I'll explain later."

_This isn't really a question, but are you aware there is fanfiction about you and Asura? The coupley, romancey kind._

Maka stared at the letter in disbelief, eyes wide open. "…wha…you…I…_WHY_? Why in the world would you…_he's the main villain_! Just…you…"

Maka turned to look at Crona. "Wh…what is _wrong_ with our fans…?"

"I don't think I want to know…" Crona replied.

_What's the worst gift you've ever received?_

"…Papa's gift after the test…"

_Do you speak to your extended family at all?_

"Again, lucky to get a postcard from my own mother once a month. So no, not really."

_Do you like fast-food?_

"Generally, no. But I do like one or two places."

_Do you have any bad habits?_

"…overtalkativeness?"

Crona frowned. "…that's a bad thing?"

"Some people think it is."

"I don't…"

Maka smiled, reaching over and giving him another hug.

_What does your soul look like? (Like how Chrona's is a beach and all?)_

"…you know, that's a good question. I should look into that."

_Have you ever tried gardening?_

"Eh, not really. I can't exactly start a garden or anything when I live in an apartment."

Maka tossed the letter aside and opened her last envelope.

_Can you sing? Would you ever sing in front of anyone? Now?_

"Well, technically, I'm singing in front of people whenever we break out into song on here. So, yeah, I guess I can."

_For a girl who does a lot of kicking and jumping when fighting, why do you insist on wearing a skirt mostly?_

"Because I feel like it? And it goes with the rest of the outfit, as well."

_When you gender-bended in the Book of Eibon, i couldnt help but notice that you grew in height some and you looked like you maintained a curvy body type still. Also you had a very boyish looking face, it was kind of adorable. You are also described as a "solemn young man"...ever wonder why?_

"…why did you have to remind me of that?"

_SING MAKA!_

"Sorry, I don't do requests."

_When was the last time you saw your mother?_

"…good question…"

Crona looked at Maka for a moment before reaching over and hugging her, his face against her shoulder. Maka looked at him for a second before smiling and leaning closer.

_Will you ever take Crona to the beach? I`m pretty sure he hasnt been._

Maka looked over at Crona, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Hmm…well, we'll have to get you a bathing suit…then we need to pick a beach…and we better see if anyone else wants to go…"

Crona gulped slightly as he opened his first letter. _This can't end well at all…_

_Going to the theatres with friends or staying home to watch a movie with a friend?_

"I…I guess it depends…either can be nice…"

_What dessert would you say describes you?_

"…I have no idea how to answer that…"

Maka tilted her head. "What dessert "describes" you? What kind of question is that?"

"It'd be easier if she just asked which is my favourite…"

_Do you like to read? If so, what sort of books do you like?_

"Fantasy, mostly…"

Crona placed the letter aside and opened his next one.

_Do you like caffeine?_

Maka froze. "Uh…Crona, before you answer that…do you remember what happened when you had the chocolate-covered coffee beans?"

Crona thought for a moment, only for a worried expression to come over his face. "…no, I don't."

"And that is why you don't go near too much caffeine."

_Do you read poetry as well?_

"Sometimes…"

_Have you ever wanted to try an extreme sport? If so, which one?_

"No. Never. Ever. Didn't even think of it once."

_Have you ever tried origami? Are you good at it?_

"Not really…I made a crane once, but that's it…"

_What's your favorite animal?_

Crona frowned. _How am I supposed to answer a question like that?_ he wondered. He then glanced over at Maka, who was patiently waiting for an answer. He thought of the question, and an image of one particular animal floated into his head.

Which is why it was only natural for him, face flushing, to look down and mutter "I think I'll skip this one…"

_Do you prefer cold or warmer drinks?_

"It depends…if I'm just thirsty, I prefer cold…but warmer drinks are supposed to be good for helping people feel better…"

_Ever been to a fair?_

Maka smiled. "Hey, there's an idea! We could go to a fair instead of the beach, if you like."

"Um…O-OK…" Crona replied as he opened his last letter.

_What was the...most pleasurable...dream you ever had?_

"…I'm not sure I follow…"

In response, that familiar _splortch_ echoed through the theater, as Ragnarok peered over Crona's head, already grinning wickedly.

"Oh, wake up, numbnuts! She's asking if you've ever had a wet dream before!"

"…"wet dream"?"

"Oh, geez, you really are stupid, aren't you? It's when-"

"_MAKA CHOP_!"

Ragnarok groaned, leaning against the back of the chair, leaving Crona to wonder why Maka was blushing so heavily.

_Would you ever consider ditching that dress/robe outfit and start wearing...well normal guy clothes? I understand that its what you`ve always worn so its perhaps an issue of comfort and that you are familiar with it, but still._

"I _am_ used to this…I don't really see why people want to see me in other clothes…"

_It may help keep some of the fans from thinking you are a girl._

"…that's a good point…"

_If your answer to the last question was "no", "i dont know" or, more likely, nothing, then what if Maka told you that you looked good in guy clothing?_

Crona jumped slightly when he heard the loud _slap_. He turned to see Maka had buried her face in her hands, instantly making him worried.

"M-Maka…? What's wrong…?"

_Dear God, I'm such an idiot…_ Maka thought. She sat back up, taking a deep breath and letting it go, before gently grabbing Crona's arm.

"Crona…I want you to understand something, OK…?"

Crona gulped. "Y-Yes…?"

"When I ask you to do things with me…I do it because I want us _both_ to have fun…I don't just want to drag you along with whatever I feel like doing…"

She turned to look at him, staring into his eyes. "And you don't always have to say yes to me…I won't get upset if you don't want to do anything…"

Maka realized she was heading in the wrong direction when she saw Crona's expression change to one of pure fear.

"I-I'm not saying I don't want to spend time with you!" she quickly added. "I enjoy spending time with you, Crona! Really, I do! I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable…"

Crona gave a small sigh of relief, though he was still clearly confused. _How could she ever think she would make me feel uncomfortable?_ he wondered.

"What…what I'm trying to say is…" she continued. "If…if you don't want to change your clothes or anything, that's fine…I don't want to force you to…but…"

Crona blinked in surprise when he saw that Maka was blushing again. "I…I would like to see what you'd look like…even if it's just once…"

The first thought that popped into Crona's head was to tell her he'd be willing to dress in a tutu and learn ballet if Maka asked him to. But he thought carefully about what Maka had said about not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. And while he thought that to be almost impossible, he realized that she was, once again, looking out for him.

It was then that his face began to darken in colour as he came to another realization: That she wanted _him_ to be happy, just like he wanted _her_ to be happy. Even at the cost of her own happiness. Sure, him dressing up in "normal boy" clothing was decidedly minor, but it would still make her slightly unhappy if he didn't do it. Yet if he went through with it, it would require him to change his identity a bit, and Maka had essentially told him that she didn't want to make him do that. Just the fact that she was that concerned about him was enough to make Crona want to jump for joy.

But he didn't do that. Instead, he carefully moved his arm out from under Maka's hand, so he could grasp it with his own. With his head lowered slightly, and his face heavily flushed, he muttered "I'll…I'll try…OK?"

He looked up to see Maka blushing as well, but with a small smile on her face, she replied "Yeah…OK…"

_Would you ever consider trying out for a play?_

"Depends on the play, I guess…but I doubt I'd be very good…"

_You seem pretty good with your feet from your swordsman skills...would you give a shot at dancing?_

"N-Not really…I'm actually really clumsy…"

_Like if you had a nice, pretty, friendly, kind, smart, cute dancing partner who might also be trained in scythe combat?_

Maka placed a hand over her face to cover her blush (which was, obviously, nowhere near the level of Crona's). _Oh, THAT was subtle…_

_Do the moon and sun ever creep you out?_

"Not really…you get used to them after a while…"

Crona blinked, then turned to look back at Ragnarok. "Are you awake…?"

Ragnarok groaned, rising up off of the back of the chair to peer over Crona's head. "What?"

"There are a few for you…"

_Why, of all ways to get back at Maka, did you decide to have Crona flip her skirt?_

"Because it was funny, that's why! And he has a longer reach that me, so he had to do it."

_Why do people have to keep bringing that up…?_ Crona wondered, face flushed again.

_Admit it, you`re happy that Crona has found a new friend in Maka._

"I don't care that they're friends! I just want her to leave us alone once in a while!"

Maka grinned. "Admit it, you're getting attached to me."

"Like a witch gets attached to her warts!"

_You seem to think every girl you meet is ugly. What kind of woman do you find pretty? Or none, considering you arent human._

"Hey, I find plenty of girls hot! Like those Thompsons! Especially Patty! I mean, have you seen the tits on her? Hot damn! And then there's that Azusa lady!"

He started grinding his fists into Crona's head. "Her tits are fucking enormous, _and_ she's got that whole "sexy librarian" look to her! If that's what you're into, you should be going after _her_! And then there's that Marie lady-"

Without even realizing what he was doing, Crona had grabbed the back of Ragnarok's head and pushed forward, causing Ragnarok's head to collide with the tray of his seat. Naturally, after a short recovery, Ragnarok was less than happy.

"_What the fuck did you do that for_?"

"Y-You need to stop talking about people like that!"

"…oh, I get it now! It's blondes! You have a thing for blondes! Oh, Freud would have a field day with you-"

Crona clamped a hand over Ragnarok's mouth, trying his best to silence him. The frustrated muffles and struggling indicated it wouldn't last long. Crona looked over at Maka.

"Y-You better go get the letter for today…I'll deal with him…"

Another loud muffle, and Maka was on her feet, sighing as she walked over and opened the letter.

_Today, we'll be seeing just how far one can go in order to forgive. Naturally, this will have certain significance for you two, so I'd like to apologize in advance for any awkwardness you may feel. Though, it's become a forgone conclusion by this point that you'll feel it anyway._

_The story is called Uh, I am what now? by one dino kid._

_Best of luck._

_CHOMP_!

"OW! That was my hand, Ragnarok!

"_That's fucking it, you little shit_!"

_WHUMP_!

_That would be them falling on the floor…_ Maka thought, still facing the table.

"Y-You can't talk about girls like that! Y-You know it's rude!"

"And what are you going to do to stop me? Besides, you know I'm right! Fuck, if you like them so much, just go for the Thompsons! There's two of them, one for each of us!"

"Stop that! And how would you even go out with a girl, anyway?"

"_Fuck you very much_, that's how! And besides, I can just make you get with a girl if I needed to!"

"Th-th-there's no way that'll happen!"

_This has gone on long enough…_ Maka thought, pulling out a book and holding it in the conjoined duo's viewpoint, still not turning to face them.

"…sh-she pulled out a book…"

"…this ain't over!"

A low gurgling sound was all the indication Maka needed that Ragnarok had returned to Crona's body. She put the book away and turned, walking back to her seat. She saw Crona back in his, his face slightly bruised from his little scuffle.

"S-Sorry…"

Maka sighed. "It's OK, Crona. Really, it is. I know it's hard to deal with him."

And as the room darkened and the show began, one tiny thought entered Maka's mind.

…_blondes, huh?_

/

**Sorry I couldn't think of a better title.**

**Dedicated to- Gopher and Crona fans**

Maka: …Gopher has fans?

**Genres- there might be romance; I am unsure whether or not to add romance, so it is humor at the moment.**

Crona: …I really hope that doesn't involve who I think it involves…

**Characters- Gopher (Duh) Crona (Double Duh) Noah Maka Black*Star Kid Soul Tsubaki Liz Patty and others who I will not name.**

**Also this never happened in the anime I think, I don't think Gopher was abandoned by Noah at least.**

Crona: Were Noah and Gopher even in the anime…?

Maka: I don't think so…

**Summary**

**After a fight against Gopher after he is abandoned by Noah, Crona realizes how much they have in common. Crona tries to help Gopher move on. Now Gopher is treating Crona like Noah.**

Crona: …*head meets tray* Why me…?

Maka: *pats Crona's back*

**Crona**

**"Wing Bullet!" Gopher screamed at us, as the small bullet-like projectiles fired at us. "Crona! Dodge!" Maka yelled at me as she and Death-Scythe Soul jumped away, the black blood was giving me wings at the moment so I dodged by air.**

Maka: Can you even do that anymore?

Crona: No…Ragnarok's not big enough for that…

Ragnarok: Not that I would, anyway, because that really fucking hurts!

**"NOAH-SAMA! WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME!" Gopher screamed as he continued to attack us. He then fell to his knees. Something clicked, I understood what was going on with him.**

Maka: What's to understand? He just made it pretty clear what the problem is.

**Maka got ready to attack him and was about to but I stopped her by blocking the attack with Ragnarok before she could charge.**

Crona: That's a little excessive…

**"Ragnarok…" I mumbled and he disappeared back inside of me.**

**I hesitantly walked up to Gopher and when I was close enough put a hand on his shoulder. "Y-y-you miss h-him…..d-d-don't you." I mumbled to him and saw the pain in Gophers eyes as he nodded his head. "Why couldn't he add me to his collection?" Gopher wailed. I felt tears running down my cheek. "My mother never loved me, she just ruined my life by turning me into a weapon."**

Crona: …what does one have to do with the other…?

Maka: I'm going to guess it has something to do with parenting. Even though Gopher most definitely does _not_ look at Noah as a parent…

**I mumbled and grabbed him by both shoulders and made him stand up.**

**I k-k-know what you n-n-need, and how to ch-cheer you up" I mumbled.**

Maka: He does?

Crona: I do?

**"To Mr. Corner!" I said and dragged him to a corner.**

Crona: …oh.

**I crouched down in it, my knees to my chest. "l-l-let Noah go, y-y-y-you d-d-d-deserve better t-t-t-then him." I said as Gopher mimicked what I did and started crying.**

Maka: …that reminds me, what happened to that "curl-up-in-a-corner-and-cry" session I was promised?

Crona: It's still being worked out, apparently…

**Soon we were both crying. "Eh?" Maka said confused as Soul –now out of scythe form- shrugged. "Let them be, it seems Crona has a handle on it.**

Maka: *looks behind Crona*

Crona: W-What?

Maka: Just checking to see if you grew eyes in the back of your head. Because apparently this Crona did.

**If….if y-y-y-you a-a-are e-e-ever sad a-a-again, g-g-go h-h-h-huddle in a Mr. Corner." I started. "B-b-b-but n-n-n-not when p-p-people are a-a-around, that w-w-w-will make it worse." I explained to Gopher as we left and handed him a hankie to dry his tears. "A-a-and remember, Y-y-you d-d-deserve b-b-b-better then Noah, k-keep t-that in mind." I finished "Thank you…" Gopher mumbled as we left.**

Maka: …I think it goes without saying that you definitely don't stutter that much.

Crona: Y-Yeah…

**"Crona-sama,**

Crona: *spittake* C-C-_Crona-sama_?

**w…wake up please, it is morning and you will be late for class, I made you breakfast two. Crona-sama, wake up." That was how my morning started the next morning. I knew that Ragnarok was still asleep so I couldn't be him, and I didn't know anyone who called me Crona-sama. I slowly opened an eye and saw a blacked haired person with eyes similar to Kid, though they were black, and I couldn't find any pupils.**

Maka & Crona: _Why is he in my/his room_?

Crona: And more importantly, _why is he leaning over my bed_?

**Now, who did I know who looked like that? Since my brain had yet to fully wake up it took a little bit while I laid there, one blue eye open staring at the young man leaning over the bed looking at me. I jumped a foot out of bed at the realization of who it was, now that got my brain awake. "G-G-Gopher!"**

Maka: That's a pretty impressive feat…

Crona: Wait…if I jumped a foot in the air…and he's leaning over my bed…oh God, this _is_ a romance!

**I said startled and falling off the bed hitting my head on the floor. There was a loud THUNK.**

Crona: Which causes me to slip into a coma, ending this fic right now. Right? _Right_?

**"Crona-sama!" Gopher said rushing to my side, I was honestly surprised that Ragnarok wasn't awake by now after what had happened.**

Crona: *groan*

**As he helped me up after a stream of questions as to if I was alright- which I kept saying I was- he had me sit on my bed side. At closer examination I saw he was wearing a white frilly apron over his normal outfit.**

Maka: *snerk* Oh God…the images…

**He walked to my desk and picked up a tray that had waffles on it. "Good morning Crona-sama." He said and put the tray on my lap. "did you have a nice sleep? Do you like the waffles?"**

Crona: Why waffles, anyway…?

Maka: Doesn't it have to do with his name meaning that in Polish or something?

**He added after I took a bite. I nodded saying yes to both questions.**

**"So…" I said after finishing the waffles. "Why are you here?" I asked and he smiled. "You said I deserved better then Noah-teme (A/N- I think that means bastard)**

Maka: Probably shouldn't be using honorifics if you're basing your judgments off of Naruto…

**so you are taking Noah-temes place." He said I nearly choked on my glass of orange juice. So… I was now in charge of Gopher, object of his affection, thing he was obsessed about… right now I cant decide between running away and locking myself in the book of Eibon, or just plain suicide…. Decisions, decisions.**

Crona: Either option sounds good now…

**I know this was short, but it was like a prologue, to just get you guys to understand the whole thing, the other chapters will be longer, I promise.**

Maka: I can barely contain my joy.

**Well, Crona is now the new Noah in Gophers eyes… poor kid, well at least he wont treat Gopher like Noah did….. I think….**

Maka: I dunno…this is a golden opportunity to finally get back at Gopher…

Crona: B-But…isn't that a little cruel…?

Maka: *nudges Crona* I know, I'm just teasing. You would never do that to anyone.

**Thanks for reading.**

Crona: Thank you for giving me more emotional scars…I'm building up a pretty impressive collection…

**Welcome back. Hopefully chapter two will be longer then the last chapter,**

Maka: Figures.

**I am glad you all loved the beginning.**

Crona: …people actually liked that…?

Maka: Again, what is _wrong_ with our fans?

**So here goes**

Maka: *pats Crona's back* You can get through this. I know you can.

Crona: Easier said than done…

**Crona**

**"Crona-sama! Do you want me to come with you to class?" Gopher asked after he washed me face, don't ask why, he wanted to.**

Crona: Who does no one in this fics have any respect for personal space?

**"Eh? N-n-no, I w-w-want y-y-y-you t-t-to c-c-come with me t-t-to Death-sama so I c-c-can explain w-w-why y-y-you are here, s-s-so y-y-you don't get killed."**

Maka: And what is with all the damned stuttering?

**I mumbled as I got off my bed and froze I was still in my pajamas. "Um…." I said unsure of how to ask. "OH! I understand! I will look away Crona-sama." Gopher said turning to face a corner, I quickly slipped off my pajamas and put on my normal attire of a dress. "Crona-sama…" Gopher said hesitantly, I had a bad feeling this wasn't going to be something good. "You're a boy, so why do you wear a dress? AH! Forgive my rudeness!" He added hastily. "No need to apologize, you were curious. That is human nature." I mumbled. "And to answer your question, Medusa did forced transition on me." I said.**

**Gopher still seemed confused. "Your mother forced you to be a girl?" he asked and bowed. "I am sorry to hear that! I truly am!"**

Maka: …Crona-

Crona: C-Can w-we just…skip this? …please?

Maka: *reaches over, hugs Crona* OK…

**he said and I shook my head. "L-l-lets g-go to Death-sama." I said as I walked out of the room, Gopher at me heels like a loyal puppy. How did Noah survive this? I know I can't handle this.**

Maka: Just give me five minutes alone with Gopher. Problem will be instantly solved, I promise you.

**"so, you want to know if Gopher can stay at Shibusen since he is now on your side? Right?" Death-sama said after I explained everything, I bowed. "Yes." I confirmed, there was a short lived pause. "Ok." He said. I looked up confused.**

Maka: …what, that's it? No punishment or anything? He doesn't even get a Reaper Chop? I know Lord Death is easygoing and all, but come on!

**"Gopher can stay, but he will be rooming with you until we get him a room set up." Death added. I could see Gophers pure happiness expression out of the corner of my eye. I honestly did not understand him as much as I thought I did.**

Ragnarok: Pssssssst. I know why he's so happy.

Crona: W-Why…?

Ragnarok: Because _he gonna rape you in your sleep_!

*MAKA CHOP!*

Maka: Why do you always have to say that?

**"Now Crona, off to class, Gopher you can head towards Cronas room, Spirit-kun, make an announcement about this," Death said and all three of us, I, Gopher, and Spirit went our separate ways. "I will be back after classes." I said after seeing the sad eyes from him and his lower lip stretching to his top making a triangle.**

Crona: How does he do that, anyway…?

**"Don't get into t-t-trouble." I said walking away. I felt Gophers eyes on me and it made me nervous. But, if you thought about it, he was like a lost puppy.**

Maka: I knew there was a reason I don't like dogs…

**I headed off towards my class; I smiled looking forward to class with Maka. As I got there I grew more nervous, I was late, so when I come in the entire class's eyes will be on me. my breath hitched, I didn't know how to deal with all eyes on me.**

Crona: …no comment…

**I slowed down as I neared Dr. Stein's classroom. When I got to the door I froze and hesitated at opening it. I opened it hesitantly and walked into class. "Good morning Crona." Dr. Stein said as I opened the door. "H-h-hello." I mumbled and took my normal seat.**

**I was grateful no one stared at me, or I might have fainted, I was already nervous, I didn't need to be more nervous. As class went on, Dr. Stein had us dissect a rabbit…. I ended up fainting because of it. I can't handle dissecting bunnies.**

Crona: …well, sleeping was nice while it lasted…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**As Dr. Stein dismissed us. "Um…Dr. Stein.." I started unsure as to what to do. "C-c-can you c-c-catch me u-u-up on w-w-w-what I missed this morning?" I asked as everyone else left the class room. "Eh? Sure." He said, clearly having nothing to do today.**

**After he finished I got up and headed out the door. There was no one in the hallways it seemed like and I was relieved at this. I walked slowly down the hall to my room. "Hey! Fag, what-cha walking away for?" A snotty voice called at me,**

Maka: …oh you cannot be serious.

**I turned around with one thing in mind. **_**What's a faggot?**_** And before I could even utter a word, before I could think two big guys slammed me into the wall. They were big and had a lot of muscles. "What are you doing at this school anyway, fag?" the bigger of the two, the one who slammed me into the wall and was holding me there, said.**

Maka: *stares at Crona*

Crona: W-What?

Maka: …nothing…

Crona: M-Maka…? What's wrong…?

Maka: …you would tell me if that was really happening…right?

Crona: O-Of course I would! B-But that isn't happening! Really!

Maka: …really?

Crona: *nods*

Maka: …OK…

**I made a pathetic attempt to tell them to let me go and the other one just punched me in the gut. I whimpered. **_**Ragnarok…help…..**_** I whined in my head, and even whimpered as they punched me again.**

Ragnarok: Oh, come on! Even you could take a couple of douchebags like them without me!

Crona: …really?

Ragnarok: Yeah! Sure, why not?

Crona: …that doesn't sound very convincing…

Ragnarok: Oh, shut up.

**Why were they doing this? Did I do something wrong? "LEAVE CRONA-SAMA ALONE!" I heard a scream, who was it…. wait…. Crona-sama…that tone of respect for me…. Gopher.**

Maka: *facepalm* Oh that just figures…

**I slowly opened my eye to see him running towards us and punch the guy holding me in the jaw, causing him to let go and me fall on my butt, and get kicked in the face by the other guy. "How dare you touch Crona-sama like that!" Gopher snarled at the other boy and threw him into the other wall, I looked at the first one to see that he was out cold. I didn't feel sorry for him.**

**As soon as Gopher was done beating the snot out of the other boy he bowed done in front of me apologizing. "I am greatly sorry Crona-sama, I should have been here sooner and those delinquents wouldn't have touched you." He apologized. I was still in daze as to what happened that I think my brain shut off for a few minutes as I sat there silent, I think I was making him more worried. Because even as he bowed I could see the tears. I snapped out of it quickly at seeing I was making it worse. "Eh! I-i-i-it's ok! R-r-r-really!" I said quickly.**

**Gopher didn't get up from his bow. "T-t-thank you…" I said softly but loud enough for him to hear. ****"What are you thanking him for? I could have taken them easy!" ****Ragnarok snapped coming out of my back and resting on my head.**

Ragnarok: Exactly! See?

Maka: So why didn't you?

Ragnarok: …how the fuck should I know?

**I could see Gopher flinch at this and the jealousy in his eyes as Ragnarok made himself comfortable on my head. "Crona-sama, why does he get to touch you like that?" Gopher whined.**

Crona: *shudders* Oh God whyyyyyy…

**I looked at him confused, "Ragnarok i-i-is literally m-m-my b-b-blood, Ragnarok is my blood, my weapon, and my friend." I said more confidently. Gopher looked down and Ragnarok laughed.**

**"****You wish you were me huh Gopher boy! Well you can't! No one is replacing me you got that! So nya!" ****he stuck his tongue out at Gopher. "Ragnarok! T-t-that isn't nice!" I snapped and he stuck his tongue out at me. ****"I aint nice Crona! You know that!"**

Ragnarok: *taps Crona's head* That was a hint, chucklefuck.

Crona: You could at least try to be nice…

Ragnarok: That's boring!

**He said and gave me a noogies. ****"Get us something to eat already Crona! I am starving!" ****I waved my arms out randomly trying to hit him. "Q-q-quit that Ragnarok!" I yelled, though it was more of a whimper/plea. "Don't hit him! How dare you attack Crona-sama! Are you not his weapon! Are you making a statement of your betrayal to him?" Gopher snarled punching Ragnarok in the face, causing him to fly back, thus causing me to fly back, thus, causing us both to smack into the wall.**

Maka: OK, Gopher definitely isn't _that_ strong.

**"Eh…Gopher….Ragnarok a-a-always does t-t-that, every d-day s-since he w-w-was in my b-b-blood, w-w-which is s-since I was three, he a-always bullies m-me." I try to explain,**

Maka: *glares at Ragnarok* Doesn't make it right…

Ragnarok: *blows a raspberry*

**and this causes him to be more embarrassed with the mistake. "AH! I AM VERY SORRY! I DIDN'T KNOW, IF I DID I WOULDN'T HAVE!" he yells running away crying. "Eh?" Is all I can say.**

Crona: …how is it I know what he's thinking?

Maka: Either you spontaneously developed psychic powers, or it's crappy writing. As much as I'd like it to be the former, it's probably the latter.

Crona: …why do you want me to have psychic powers?

Maka: Well, I don't actively _want_ you to have psychic powers. But you have to admit, it'd be pretty cool.

Crona: …I guess…

**I find Gopher a half an hour after searching for him (Five minutes after recovering from surprise after he ran off)**

Crona: That's a bit of an exaggeration…

**huddled in the corner of an ally dead end. "Gopher…." I say, unsure as to start. He is mumbling about things such as: 'I am a failure, no wonder Noah-sama got rid of me, I can't even do something right for Crona-sama' 'I don't deserve to live if I can't do anything right' and 'I have been messing up since I first fought Maka, I don't understand…' and that summed up all the things he said without a vocabulary Kid and I don't like to use**

Maka: …well, that's descriptive.

**It was starting to rain, actually that was a understatement, it was pouring out, it was only five minutes and the side of the roads were already housing mini rivers, and pot holes and little backyard kiddy pools were housing mini lakes!**

Maka: I'm pretty sure there'd be some sort of warning if a monsoon was coming.

**I noticed that Gopher was shivering, probably cold in his outfit. I shrugged off my hoodie and draped it over Gophers back. He flinches a little, probably expecting a hit, and looks at me surprised and at the jacket. "I am sorry Crona-sama!" He says again and hands me the jacket. I sigh and say in a confident voice. "Wear it, and just to make sure you do, it's an order." I say, I feel very uncomfortable giving out orders, but by the happiness in Gophers eyes, I guess I ought to get used to it. he seems to only feel like he is wanted when ordered by Noah… well I guess that's me now since I am the new 'Noah.'**

Ragnarok: Well, I didn't know you were into S&M, Crona!

Crona: …huh?

Ragnarok: It means sado-

*MAKA CHOP!*

**"Thank you Crona-sama! Does this mean I am forgiven?" He asks hopefully, still on his knees and bowing this time. I sigh and drop down into a crouch so were level. "Gopher, I aint forgiving you."**

Crona: A-a-a-a-a-a-a-_ain't_?

Maka: …is it weird that I'm now picturing you in a cowboy outfit?

Crona: *groan*

**say and I can see he is sad. "Because there is nothing to be forgiven, if you did nothing wrong." I finished with a much out of character sly smirk.**

Maka: Oh, out of character? No, say it isn't so!

Crona: S-s-s-s-s-s…*wheezes*

**It in all honesty surprised me. Gopher smiled knowing that he did not anger me. "Just, never run off like that again." I sighed as I shook me head. Gopher nodded his smile turning into his sad face. "Argh! I am not trying to make you sad or anything, just giving you an order. Now here is another, don't you dare frown right now, smile." I said giving him a stern look. Now if only I could be like that when Ragnarok bothered me.**

Crona: *starts hitting head on tray*

**Done with chapter 2. Wow Crona is getting some confidence and giving out orders. Maybe having Gopher around is a good thing.**

Maka: Hardly!

**Well for those of you who are interested in knowing, I will be next be working on my next chapter of Shibusen Mental Hospital.**

Maka: Do we want to know what that is?

Crona: It's where I'm going to wind up if this goes on for much longer…

**Good day, and or good night.**

**Love**

**Dino (Yuki and Colron did no help on this chapter so no D.Y.C. this time)**

Maka: She actually has people helping her with this? That…that says so much that I have no idea where to start.

**Welcome! I have been having MAJOR writers block on this chapter! Honestly!**

Crona: I thought writer's block meant you couldn't write…

Maka: It also means you _shouldn't_ write. This person should probably listen to that.

**So yes it will he shorter then my other stories. It didn't even reach one thousand words.**

Maka: Well, at least our job is mildly easier.

Crona: "Mildly" being the key term…

**Well I hope you enjoy weeks of hard work during writers block.**

Maka: I don't see how that's even remotely possible.

**"I don't like him." Kid said calmly as he put his sandwich down.**

Maka: Finally! Someone with some sense!

**I flinched at his cold remark. I was sitting with the others and we were talking about Gopher. "Yea, I am not really fond of him that much either." Maka said slowly trying not to hurt my feelings, which was an epic fail on her part.**

Crona: …*head hits tray* I. *again* Did. *again* Not. *again* Say. *again* That.

Maka: *pats Crona's back*

**"B-b-but! Gopher is m-my friend!" I exclaimed. For those who were wondering, our new Once-Enemy-Now-Ally was with Spirit getting some belonging to put in his new room. This was, of course, across from mine.**

Crona: Great…

**"P-please give him a c-c-chance!" I whined.**

Crona & Maka: _I do/He does not whine_!

Ragnarok: …yes he does!

*MAKA CHOP!*

**"I was y-y-your e-e-enemy once to! N-now I am a friend! W-why can't you guys t-try to trust him?" I said in exasperation. "You guys can trust me but not him?" I asked now confused. Kid gave me a hard look. "He tortured me with asymmetry! and beat me up!" He growled Maka sighed. "He tried to kill me!" She added.**

**I made an overly dramatic sigh, **

Crona: *facepalm* Urrrrgh…

**"And I haven't? Kid! Remember the battle on that ghost ship? Maka! Remember when I sliced open Souls chest? Seriously! I almost killed him and you still forgave me! Why can't you guys forgive Gopher?" I snapped.**

Maka: *facepalm* _Those are two completely different situations_! What, because we forgave Crona we're automatically going to forgive everyone else? Who's next? Medusa? Arachne? Asura? Do you not see the logic problem here?

**Black*Star finally spoke after staying silent; (It was a miracle, no duck tape or glue needed).**

Crona: …they make tape from ducks? That's just needlessly cruel…

**"I think it is cool. Crona has like, his own personal servant, that's awesome!" Black*Star said grinning.**

**I felt like everything I new was a lie.**

Maka: Now _that_ is overexaggerating.

Crona: So…now black is white, up is down, and people in government are actually competent?

Maka: …where did that last one come from?

Crona: I have no idea…

**Gopher wasn't like a servant…was he? No he was a normal person who had a problem where he would choose someone as his master- friend, his best friend, and would follow them around doing exactly what they say and feel depressed if he messed up.**

Crona: …

Maka: …*nudges Crona* And that is _not_ you. Understand?

Crona: R-Right…

_**And that sounds exactly like a servant…. I have got to fix that…. As soon as I learn how…..which is something I can't handle….wow I suck at this stuff. **_**I thought in amazement.**

Crona: Serious understatement there…

**"Bwahahaha! I the great Black*Star shall take your servant and make him mine!" Black*Star laughed, everyone gave him a 'WTF?' look.**

Crona: *head meets tray* And I don't speak in acronyms…

Maka: Um…that's initialization.

Crona: *looks up* Eh?

Maka: Initialization is just going by the first letters of a few words. It'd be an acronym if you could actually make the letters into a new word that can be pronounced. Like FEMA. You can't exactly say "WTF", can you?

Crona: …so…she was wrong on something?

(elsewhere, a certain teenage superheroine sneezed. Luckily, she was in her room, so no one noticed)

**"Uh…Black*Star…..that sounded really…I don't know…wrong…in many ways." Tsubaki said.**

Maka: Trust Tsubaki to catch that one…

**Black*Star gave us a confused look. "Whatever." He said. "Nothing is wrong with the way the man who surpasses god speaks!" Black*Star shouted.**

Maka: Flanderized…

**I took this as my moment to leave. I got up from the table as quietly as possible and walked away. "Hey! Crona! Where do you think you're going ignoring your god like that?" Black*Star asked enraged, I ignored him and walked away. He had enough of an audience where he was.**

**I headed down to Shibusens guest chambers where I new what awaited me. "CRONA-SAMA!" Gopher said happily running out of his room to meet me. I sighed. "Gopher…I…I thought w-w-we agreed to n-n-not c-c-call me that. Just call me Crona." I said trying to hold back the urge to mope in Mr. Corner because he didn't listen to me.**

Crona: Good idea. Excuse me. *gets up*

Maka: Ah! *grabs Crona's robe* No, wait! Crona, please, you can get through this! Just stick with it and it'll be over before you know it!

Crona: …*sighs, sits down*

**"Oh! SORRY! I am VERY sorry!" he said bowing low. I sighed. "T-t-treat me l-like a n-normal person, I am n-not your master or a-anything Gopher, I am a –n-normal…..s-scratch t-that. I am an a-abnormal p-person with black blood and my weapon in my blood. And so are you." I said calmly, well as calmly as I could when annoyed.**

Crona: …when did Gopher get the black blood?

**He looked at me very confused. "So….um….. I have black blood and my weapon which I don't have is in my blood? And I am abnormal?" He asked confused. "EH?" I said. "That's what you said." Gopher said bowing.**

Crona: …wait, that was on purpose?

**"No! I meant you are a normal person so stop with the master stuff!" I said quickly. "Oh." Gopher said, I had a feeling that this talk won't stop his behavior…. Times like these I wish Medusa would come down here and strike me dead.**

Crona: …never thought I would agree with that statement…

**Yea I know it was short but I was suffering major writers block! So no complaints about length!**

Maka: Trust me, that's the last thing we were going to complain about.

**...That rhymed!**

Maka: …in what language did that rhyme?

**Well thanks for reading, and please review!**

Crona: Why do you enjoy torturing me like this…?

**Welcome back! I know I don't update this story that much, that is because of that this story doesn't seem to be as popular as my other stories so this story I work on less.**

Maka: Gee, I can't imagine why…

**For those of you who actually read this and LIKE it, THANK YOU!**

Maka: Is there any chance you could name names? No real reason, I'm just curious…

**So here is chapter four.**

**"Morning Crona-sama!" Gopher said cheerfully. I rolled over in my bed and put my pillow over my head and groaned. "It's to early." I groaned and Gopher took the pillow away and took the blanket off me.**

Crona: *shudders* Too close…way too close…

**"Come on Chrona-sama! You'll be late for school!" Gopher said. "Now I made French toast for your breakfast, so you better get up before it gets cold." Gopher said calmly. "Gopher-kun…I-It's Saturday, n-no class today…Did you say French toast?" I said bolting up and saw the plate of my favorite breakfast. "Here you go." Gopher said smiling and giving me a plate of the perfect breakfast.**

**"Thank you Gopher-kun!" I said happily. I loved Gophers French toast. They were amazing, it was like eating heaven!**

Crona: *head meets tray* I'm never going to even look at a piece of French toast again…

Maka: …that's too bad. Soul tells me I can make a pretty good piece of French toast…

Crona: …OK, maybe one piece…

Ragnarok: *rolls eyes* Unbe-fucking-lievable…

**I sat up as Gopher put some of the food on my plate. Gopher put some on his own plate and started to eat while I poured some syrup on mine. While we were eating Gopher eyed the book I was reading. "Fang?" He said reading the title.**

**I look up. "Y-yeah…..It's part o-of the Maximum R-Ride series Maka s-s-said I s-s-should read." I mumbled looking down,**

Crona: …I just can't escape that series, can I?

Maka: What do you have against Maximum Ride?

Crona: N-Nothing…it just seems to keep showing up in these reviews…

**I wasn't really used to reading books that much, Medusa-sama never really had me learn how to read, so reading the series was tricky for me so I ended up asking whatever friend who was nearby what the word was and what it meant.**

Maka: Yeah, I think it goes without saying that that's _completely_ wrong.

**Gopher picked up the book. "Which book of the series is this?" He asked and I though a moment. "W-well, I think it's the sixth. If you want to read the s-series, ask Maka for the Angel Experiment, t-that's the first book." I explained and Gopher nodded. "So you're just borrowing the books?" He asked and I nodded again looking away.**

**He looked around. "Well, if that's so, I'm going to Maka to get the first book then." Gopher said getting up. "I'll be back really soon." He added sincerely. "O-oh, could you say hi to Maka f-f-for me?" I asked he grinned. "Sure Crona-sama!" He said leaving.**

**I had given up on getting him to stop calling me Crona-sama. It was hopeless. But I did get used to it though. Crona-sama was quite catchy.**

Crona: *groan*

Maka: OK, Crona is nowhere _near_ that egotistical! What is wrong with you, lady?

**And actually having someone respect me that much was quite flattering. Hardly anyone actually respected me, so having this kind of respect was nice. Even if I had no idea how to handle it, it was still nice.**

Maka: Oh for…_I_ respect Crona!

Crona: Y-You do…?

Maka: Of course I do! And so does everyone else! Why wouldn't we?

Crona: …I thought that was obvious…

Maka: *hugs Crona* I could've sworn I said something earlier about dwelling on the past…

Crona: S-Sorry…

**It was surprisingly an hour before Gopher returned. It was really weird to see him so late to come back, but I let it go. He probably got lost or something. But he for some reason had stopped calling me Crona-sama when he came back.**

Crona: I thought that was what I wanted…?

**I bet you are wondering what happened to make Gopher so late. Well I hope you all liked this chapter.**

Maka: That's not actually an explanation, you know…

**I know it was short, this stories chapters are short. It is hard for me to make a long chapter for this story. Well thanks for reading.**

**Dino- Well another chapter done!**

**Colron- Uh huh, and it's probably going to be a while before we update again.**

Maka: Whoa, whoa, what's going on?

Crona: …didn't she say something about people helping her?

Maka: I assumed they were her imaginary friends or something…

**Dino- probably not, I don't know….**

**Yuki- Yay! Gopher! Gopher! His expression when he is upset makes me laugh!**

**Dino- it makes everyone laugh Yu-Yu**

Maka: Speak for yourself…

**Yuki- *Smiles***

**Colron-…..well then, this chapter is done, good bye.**

**D.Y.C.**

Crona: …this is going to take a while, isn't it?

Maka: Looks like it…

Crona: …can I go hide in Mr. Corner now?

/

I'm going to cut it off here because this is taking way longer than I thought it would, and I want to give you guys _something_. So, here you go.

Second part will be up soon.

Also, if I didn't get to your fanmail, I'll get to it in the next story.

Back in a few.


	8. Story 5: Go 'Fer It! Part 2

OK, I cannot believe I have to do this to you guys, but this has gotten completely out of hand.

New rule: From now on, no questions involving explicit sexual content will be used. I'm sorry, but there is just no way this can go on.

I honestly didn't think I needed to make such a rule, but some of the questions I got from you guys after the last chapter were just…freaking wow, you guys. I know this is an M rated fic, which means I can get away with things like that, but that doesn't necessarily mean I _want_ to do that.

And it's not just because I'm feeling squeamish or anything. There are only so many times I can write these characters getting embarrassed and stressed out before they realistically have to snap. Which is what I'm trying to do, be realistic about this. Honestly, if you were asked questions like that, would you just roll with it and answer? Or freak out and wonder just what the hell is wrong with the person talking to you?

Now, if you want to ask _romantic_ based questions, fine. I will use those. But no more questions that are sexual in nature. That is getting way too personal.

Come on guys, there are tons of questions you can ask without going that far.

Now that that's out of the way, here's part 2 of the review.

/

**Welcome back to 'Uh, What Am I Now?'!**

**Now please sit quietly, no screaming, fighting, or attacking the story as you read! Or no attacking me for writing this story!**

Maka: That's odd. I'm feeling very disobedient right now…

**Colron- how can they attack you?**

**Dino- never underestimate the readers Colron ^^**

Maka: For once, she makes a good point…

**Colron- riiiiiight.**

**Review to Responses.**

**Kal-orne**

**That is a really good guess. And thanks for liking it. I wanted it to be different from my other stories and I guess it worked then.**

Maka: You know, it helps if we can see what you're reviewing.

Crona: …I'm not sure if I want to see her other stories or not…

**Warning- Swearing**

Maka: Oh no! Not _swearing_! Prejudiced remarks are perfectly OK, but _swearing_? Oh, won't someone think of the children?

**STORY START!**

**I ****sat at my bed focusing hard on the endless text of the book. I put the book away and looked at Gopher, 'Gopher-kun, could you please ask me a question for the test?" I asked and Gopher nodded.**

**"Alright," He said and looked at the question sheet. "A sound soul resides in what?" He asked and I thought a moment.**

Maka: …really? Really, guys? Basic, entry-level knowledge needs to be studied?

**"A sound soul resides in….." I said searching for the answer. "A Sound soul resides in a sound m-mind and a sound body." I said hesitantly and looked at him to know if it was the right answer.**

**"Correct Crona!" Gopher said smiling.**

Maka: Would you guys stop making Crona look stupid? He isn't stupid! Not at all!

Crona: …but there are a lot of things I don't know…

Maka: That's the absence of knowledge. Stupidity is being unable to accept new knowledge. That's not you at all.

**"Ready for another question?" He asked and I nodded. "Alright, Soul Precipitation is what?" Gopher asked.**

Crona: …soul rain?

Maka: I think she meant to put "Soul _Perception_".

**"W-where the person can s-see souls." I said hesitantly and Gopher smiled.**

**"Good job! You're doing good!" He smiled and glanced at the clock. "Crude!**

Maka: Yes, you are.

**I got to go! Bye Crona! Good luck studying!" Gopher said as he ran out of the room.**

**"W-was he late f-for something?" I asked myself confused and went back to reading the textbook. A lot of this stuff was confusing so I was probably going to have to go to Makas later to see if she could help me.**

**"****HEY! BITCH! Get me something to eat!" ****Ragnarok yelled pounding his tiny fists into my cranium. ****"I'm hungry!" ****He snapped.**

**"OW! OW! OW! Quit it Ragnarok!" I yelled trying to swat him away. Ragnarok laughed and dug his fists deeper into my skull.**

**"****WHERE IS THE FOOD! Jeeze! You cant even get food!" ****Ragnarok muttered and stopped hitting my head.**

Ragnarok: You know, I care about more stuff than just food!

Crona: …maybe, but it is what you bug me the most about…

Ragnarok: Shut up!

**He then laid on top of my head. ****"So, when's this big test your studying for?"**** He muttered.**

**"In three days." I mumbled as I continued to read the text book. "This stuff is really confusing." I mumbled as I tried to under stand what was being said in the book.**

**"****That's your own fault for reading the dang book." ****Ragnarok said as he made himself comfortable on my head. ****"Why not just not study?" ****He asked confused.**

**"Because! I-if I don't study and f-f-fail the test I'll be h-h-held back and wont be i-in the same class as Maka next year!" I said. I didn't want to fail and be left behind by my friends.**

Maka: …am I the only one who noticed that this conversation isn't making a lot of sense? From a grammatical standpoint, I mean.

**"****Eh, you'll fail with or without studying." ****Ragnarok muttered as he pounded his fist into my head once more.**

**I winced as he hit my head and sighed. "I'm going to go to Makas to see if she could help me study." I mumbled and got out a piece of paper. "B-better leave a n-note for Gopher-kun." I mumbled writing down where I was going.**

**I then gathered my test books and put them in my shoulder bag. I headed out the door and up the steps. As I headed out the doors of Shibusen I started thinking. "Gopher-kuns been acting strange lately." I mumbled quietly as I walked to Makas house.**

Maka: …I'm kind of surprised you haven't mentioned anything on calling him Gopher-kun, Crona.

Crona: I'm trying to ignore that…I'm also trying to come up with a name for the other me, but nothing's coming to mind.

**I reached Makas house and stopped thinking about Gopher, I would try and figure it out when I headed home. I knocked on the door and Soul opened it. He grinned at me revealing his sharp teeth.**

**"Hey Crona! What brings you here to our home?" He asked as he moved out of the way to let me in.**

**"Well….. I w-was wondering if Maka w-w-would help m-me s-study for the test." I mumbled quietly as Soul closed the door behind me.**

**He nodded and went to stairs (OK, I have no idea what Maka and Souls apartment looks like so bear with me!)**

Maka: Well, then maybe you should, I don't know, read the manga? Or watch the anime? And how would we get _stairs_ in an _apartment_?

**"HEY! MAKA! Someone's here to see you!" Soul shouted up the stairs.**

**Maka walked down the stairs reading the text book. "Who is it Soul! Can't you see I'm studying!" Maka snapped at him.**

**"Well, why not see for yourself, bookworm," Soul muttered heading out of the room.**

**Maka looked out of the book and smiled brightly. "Crona! What brings you here?" She asked me still smiling.**

**"Well…I w-was wondering if y-you could h-help me with my s-studying…" I mumbled shifting from one foot to the other in embarrassment. "I am h-having trouble u-understanding the stuff." I added.**

**"Well of course! Let's head to my room and we can study together!" Maka smiled taking my hand and leading it to her room.**

**After an hour and a half I said I had to head home and politely reclined eating dinner with them. Even though I really wanted to I had to see if Gopher was back. As I walked the now dark streets I thought of his behavior. It was just like when…I was a spy….for Medusa…**

Crona: *facepalm*

Maka: Why in the hell would Gopher ever work for Medusa? Does he even know Medusa exists?

**Oh shit! I ran the rest of the way back to Shibusen and practically flew down the steps and ran to my room. "GOPHER-KUN!" I yelled as I slammed the door open and fell first face on the ground.**

**"Crona?" Gopher asked confused as he sat on my bed looking at me confused as I scrambled to get up. When I got up I ran to him.**

**"YOUR NOT WORKING FOR MEDUSA ARE YOU?" I asked really loud and fast. I sort of reminded myself of BlackStar.**

**Gopher looked confused. "No! Why would I work for her?"**

Maka: Pretty sure I just asked that question.

**He asked a little hurt at my accusation. "Don't you trust me Crona?" He asked.**

**I felt myself become overcome with guilt. Of course he wasn't working for Medusa! He would never betray me. "Sorry, I just…. I don't k-know what c-came over me to make that thought."**

Crona: Neither do I…

**I mumbled. "Will you accept my apology?" I asked him.**

**"I accept your apology." Gopher smiled. "Now, did you get enough studying done for the day or do you want to study some more?" Gopher asked and I laughed.**

Crona: Why am I _laughing_ at that?

**"I'm good for the night, we'll study more tomorrow." I said smiling with him, I then yawned. "It's pretty late…. I'm going to bed….good night Gopher-kun." I mumbled as I went under the blankets of my bed and went to sleep.**

Crona: Maybe I'll be lucky and this'll all turn out to be one overly long, agonizing dream…

**Well I hope you all liked this chapter. I worked hard on it.**

Maka: …yeah, never mind, that's _way_ too easy.

**Well stay tuned for next chapter.**

**Bye, bye!**

**Please review!**

**Don't forget to review!**

**If you don't review you will make me a very sad author.**

Crona: We probably shouldn't be doing this, then…

**Bye! BYE!**

**D.Y.C.**

Maka: OK, we get it! Goodbye! Geez!

**Welcome back to this chapter of the Gopher and Chrona story!**

**Not much to say so…**

**Review to Responses**

**Arch3rher0**

**Sorry, I guess I over do it on Cronas stuttering. And I know, I didn't know I made a lot of mistakes in the last chapter.**

Maka: Oh, sure, _now_ you notice that!

**Well everyone….please continue reading and remember, in this story Crona is a boy.**

Crona: I really wish she didn't have to clarify that…

**I ran down the halls as fast as I could. I couldn't even get the big smile off my face by a little. I ran down the flight of stairs and ran to my room and slammed open the door startling Gopher. I was practically jumping up and down. "Gopher-kun!" I said excitedly. "I got a B- on the test!" I said happily.**

Crona: …I think I've got a name: "Overly Emotional Mess".

Maka: Little much, don't you think?

Crona: It's the best I could come up with…

**"That's good Crona!" Gopher said also rejoicing in my good news.**

**"Also! Something else happened!" I said smiling happily. Gopher leaned forward to hear it. "Maka asked me out!" I said happily.**

Crona: …*head meets tray*

Maka: …not the reaction I was expecting…

Ragnarok: Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch, flat-chest. *pokes Crona* He just fainted.

Maka: …oh.

**"Maka Albarn asked you out? That is a surprise." Gopher said and smiled. "Good for you." He said smiling at me.**

**I nodded. "I said yes, after I got over the shock." I said sheepishly looking down in embarrassment.**

**"So, you guys going to go on a date?" Gopher asked slyly.**

**"W-what? N-n-n-no! I m-mean….!" I couldn't really finish my sentence because I actually didn't know what to say.**

Maka: Pretty sure that's what you just said…

**Gopher kept his smirk on and looked at me waiting for an answer.**

**"I m-mean….I don't know! I guess we are going to go on a date to the movies this weekend but…." I sighed not knowing what else to say.**

**"So you're going on a date? We have to get you an appropriate outfit for the occasion! Your first date, this is an important day!" Gopher cheered and grabbed my wrist and ran out of the room dragging me with him.**

Maka: …maybe it's a good thing he's unconscious for this-Ragnarok, I swear if you wake him up now, _I will leave a permanent dent in your skull_!

Ragnarok: …has anyone ever told you you're ugly when you're angry?

*MAKA CHOP!*

**At the store**

**"This isn't suitable for you. Doesn't match you very well." Gopher commented on looking at a tuxedo.**

**"W-what's wrong with my normal outfit?" I asked and Gopher gave me a WTF look.**

**"To answer your question, EVERYTHING." He said and pulled out a nice dress shirt.**

Ragnarok: Just so you know, this totally supports my "rape him in his sleep" theory.

**"B-but!" I said and sighed not really going to put up a fight.**

**"Found the perfect outfit for you!" Gopher said happily and held up a white dress shirt and white pants.**

**"B-b-but I like my normal outfit, I don't need a new outfit for it." I said quietly as Gopher led me to a dressing room.**

**"Nonsense! You need a new outfit Crona." Gopher said and shoved me into the dressing room. "When you got that on come out and show me." He said.**

**I closed and locked the dressing room door and sighed. I slipped off my dress and unbuttoned the dress pants and slipped them on. I then put on the shirt.**

**"G-Gopher-kun…? I….I am dressed now." I said hesitantly.**

**"Then come out and let me see how it looks on you!" Gopher said and I hesitantly opened the door and walked out. "You look amazing Crona! It really suits you!" Gopher said clapping.**

Maka: …would it really be that much of a problem for him…?

**"Now go back in and get in your…..dress…and I'll go pay for this and we can leave." Gopher said and I did as he told me.**

**We walked to the checkout and bought the outfit. We then headed back to Shibusen only to run into Sid. I hid behind Gopher mumbling 'I don't know how to deal with zombies.'**

Maka: You mean despite the fact that he's been around Sid for quite some time now?

**"Shinigami-sama wants to see you two." Sid said and walked towards the Death Room.**

**Gopher and I followed him, I, making sure Gopher was between Sid and I at all times.**

**We walked into the Death Room to see the bouncy Shinigami over by the mirrors.**

**"AH! Gopher-kun! Crona-kun! Nice to see you two! You can go Sid-kun!" Shinigami said happily. And bounced over to us.**

**"I called you two here because…wait for it…" Shinigami said and clapped his hands. "I think Gopher-kun should try his hand at being a teacher here!" Shinigami said happily.**

Maka: …_WHY_?

**Gophers jaw was practically on the ground. "WHAT?" He yelled in shock.**

**"I think it is time you do something helpful here so you are going to be an assistant teacher." Shinigami said still in his sing song tone.**

**I couldn't hold back a laugh and Gopher glared at me.**

Maka: He wouldn't laugh, and neither would I? See? Notice the distinct _lack_ of laughter coming from us?

Ragnarok: …_I'd_ be freaked out if he started laughing right now, you know.

Maka: _That's beside the point_!

**"Well bye –bye!" Shinigami said waving us away and shoving us out of the room.**

**All that needs to be said was that Gopher was very pissed at having to be an assistant teacher.**

Maka: Sadly, he is not alone in that.

**Thank you for reading this chapter. I am coming to an end for this.**

Maka: Oh no, by all means! Continue this! I just _love_ this kind of torture!

**There will probably be two chapters left until this story is over. There might be more chapters because I don't plan ahead and well it might get more chapters.**

Maka: I hope you realize that that speaks volumes about your writing capabilities.

**So well hope you all enjoyed.**

**P.S. I am making a AsuraXMaka story!**

Maka: …*frustrated scream*

Crona: *wakes up* Huh? What? M-Maka? What happened? What's the matter?

Ragnarok: Figures she'd be the one to wake him up…

**I don't feel like making an authors note for this chapter…**

Maka: And yet you did anyway…

**Gopher was starting his teaching career today, and surprisingly, he was assisting MY class.**

Crona: I'm not surprised at all…

**So it would be fun since I got to see my friend more often.**

**I led Gopher to the classroom and gave him a few pointers and warnings on what Stein was like. He was scared of being dissected after I told him how many times Stein had asked me if he could dissect me.**

Maka: *sighs* I'm guessing Professor Stein got Flanderized too…

**We had to go to class earlier then I normally did because of Gophers first day. When we walked in, Stein was searching for his scalpel.**

**"H-hello Stein-sensei." I said nervously at seeing the look in his eyes telling me he still wanted to dissect me.**

**"Ah! Hello Crona. And is this my new assistant?" He asked looking at Gopher. "I see you have a gigori soul,**

Maka: It's _grigori_.

**interesting, mind if I dissect you?" He asked looking at Gopher.**

**Gopher backed away quickly. "NO WAY!" He yelled and glared at Stein. "Why do I have to work with a psycho?"**

Crona: …well, apparently I'm your master, so-

Maka: *hugs Crona* You are _not_ a psycho. Stop that.

Crona: Y-Yes ma'am…

**He whined biting his upper lip in a pout. I had to laugh a bit, he looked funny like that.**

**"I…haha…h-have no idea w-why." I laughed out and he glared at me.**

Crona: *facepalm* It isn't _that_ funny…

**"Well I'm going to take my seat." I said and walked to where I normally sat.**

**Gopher took a seat at the end of the first row where Stein instructed him.**

**"Gopher, I want you to get me what I need for the assignments and help the students to the best of your extant." Stein instructed. "And don't go rambling on about Noah." He added.**

**I pulled out a notebook and started to doodle. I wasn't really paying any attention to what I was drawing until people started to walk in and I glanced at my doodle.**

**It was of a soul…. Some how I felt like I'd seen that soul somewhere before…. Oh well…it was probably not important anyway.**

Maka: Under most circumstances, yes it would be. Considering this fic…yeah, you're right, it probably isn't.

**Soon class begun and Stein explained that Shinigami-sama had ordered Gopher to become an assistant teacher and thus he was HIS assistant teacher now.**

**Some of the people who knew WHAT Gopher did while he was with Noah cast him a death glare while others paid no heed to it.**

**Stein continued his normal lessons, asking Gopher to go catch a frog that ran off when he was going to dissect it and had to get his scalpel. Gopher was now running down the hallways and into random classrooms chasing the frog…probably….**

**Come to think of it….the frog looked strangely like Eruka...**

Crona: …why do people feel the need to pick on poor Eruka?

**I tried to pay attention to the best of my extents. I kept glancing at Maka and then at the door expecting Gopher to return with the frog.**

**Stein kept talking on how to dissect a frog –even though we weren't dissecting one, it was more of a walkthrough on it- and how not to dissect a frog.**

**Finally after an hour Gopher returned out of breath, clothes ripped, hair messed up, and holding the frog.**

**"This frog is evil…" He said and gave it to Stein and went to sit down still trying to catch his breath.**

**We continued class until it was time for lunch. I walked up to Gopher and asked him if he was alright.**

**"Yeah….I-I'm fine." He said obviously still out of breath. "that frog was hard…very hard…extremely hard to catch." He said panting. "Even trying to use some of my abilities I still couldn't catch it!" He said.**

**"Well…..that explains the random explosions." I said thoughtfully.**

Crona: …*facepalm*

Maka: Yeah, that's what I was thinking…

**Gopher cast me a strange look that I couldn't make out what it said.**

**"C-can I go now?" He begged and I smiled softly and patted him on the back.**

**"Sorry but it's lunch time, your break, then back to class." I said and led him to the lunchroom.**

**We got our lunches and went to sit at the table with Maka and the others. They seemed a bit uneasy of having Gopher with them but I tried to reassure them that Gopher wasn't going to hurt them.**

**We ate and started talking about school, the souls we've collected, and what not.**

**BlackStar asked what had happened while Gopher was chasing the frog and Gopher explained that it was evil, and DESERVED to be dissected.**

**We continued to eat, ignoring BlackStars rants on how great he was, and stayed silent for a little while longer…. The air was really tense. It made me feel very nervous. I didn't know how to deal with tense air….. why couldn't they just trust Gopher?**

Maka: Because he's a whiny, obsessive turd. I don't know why you people like him so much. Oh, wait, because he can do something funny with his lip. Whoopdy-fucking-do.

**I walked back to my room with Gopher following me with no energy at all. In all and all, this had to have been the worst day of his life…. I felt really bad for him….**

**Almost immediately after entering my room Gopher collapsed on my bed face first and groaned.**

**"Please don't make me go back there tomorrow…" He begged, his voice muffled through the sheets and pillows of my bed.**

**I took a seat next to him and patted him on the back hesitantly. "Sorry Gopher-kun… I don't have any power over that." I apologized. "But maybe it won't be as tough tomorrow as today!" I said hoping to cheer him up.**

**All I got was a groan in response.**

Maka: Boo hoo, poor him. Having to deal with school. Welcome to the rest of the world.

**I hope you all enjoyed that chapter! I know it kind of sucked**

Both: _Kind of_?

**and I apologize for any errors, my editors who shall remain unnamed have decided to quit looking over for mistakes on this story as of a few chapters ago. (YUKI! COLRON! YOU GUYS ARE THE WORST EDITORS EVER!) Oops! Guess they aren't unnamed anymore! XD.**

Crona: That certainly seems like a good way to keep your editors around…

**Well while I write this ending Authors Note and post this chapter on Fanfiction and you guys are reading this, I will probably still be listening to Hall Of The Mountain King. (One hell of a good song! If you wanna watch the video that introduced me to the song, go on YouTube and type in Soul Eater Mountin King (I spelt Mountain 'mountin' when I found it) and click on the video that says Chrona- Hall Of The Mountain King (Or you can just type in the videos name…whichever floats your boat)**

Crona: …so people are making videos of me to the most-used song for crazy people? …great…

**PLEASE REVIEW AND IGNOR MY RANDOM RAMBLING!**

Maka: If you don't want us to talk about your random rambling, maybe you shouldn't put it in your author's notes. Just a thought.

**Peace! Dino**

Maka: And yet I'm not feeling very peaceful. Quite the opposite, actually…

**Welcome back everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter! The story is coming to an end one chapters after this one. (I really am getting tired of writing this story is one of the reasons, I want to start on a new story I have been working on is another reason)**

Maka: And we're getting tired of reading this, so can we pick up the pace already?

**Well I hope you enjoy.**

**(Gopher)**

**"So, Gopher-kun, did you set them all up in the designated spots?" A guy asked. They were in a dark ally at night so the guy was hidden.**

Maka: Great, POV jumping again…

Crona: …actually, it just moved to third-person. If it was in Gopher's perspective, we'd know who it was…

Maka: So, in other words, it's just a bad bit of foreshadowing?

Crona: I guess…

**"Yes." Gopher said bowing down. "But, you won't set them off with anyone in there, will you?" He asked.**

**"Of course not, I will make sure all those kids are out of the building when I activate them." The man promised. "Now, you should go back or you might raise suspicion, Gopher-kun." He said.**

**"Yes, Noah-sama." Gopher said and walked away.**

Crona: Would it be appropriate…?

Maka: I think it would be.

Both: WHAT A TWIST!

**(Crona)**

**I yawned as I woke up. I looked at the calendar Gopher had gotten me (It had cute pictures of puppies on each month, this month had a black lab puppy) and nearly jumped in glee.**

Maka: Oh for God's sake, _really_?

**Tonight was the night of Maka and my date!**

Crona: …is it OK if I pretend I fainted again…?

Maka: I guess if it'll make you feel better…

Crona: *head hits tray*

Maka: …but could you not do that every time?

Crona: Sorry…

**I was really happy about this.**

**I got dressed and walked out of my room and to across it to Gophers room and knocked quietly.**

**I heard a groan and a thud and soon Gopher opened it rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Hi Crona." He yawned.**

**"Good morning Gopher-kun." I greeted timidly. "You want to go get some breakfast?" I asked him.**

**Gopher yawned and nodded his head. "Sure, Crona." He said. "Where do you want to go?" He asked me.**

**"I don't know, the Waffle House?" I suggested and he nodded.**

Maka: Again with the waffles…

**"Here, wait here so I can get dressed." He said and I finally noticed he was clad in blue flannel pajamas.**

**"Oh! Sorry!" I said and quickly walked outside of the room and waited. After a few minutes he walked out in his normal outfit.**

**"So, tonight your going on your date with Maka, right?" He asked me and I nodded, though the tone he used was full of worry and hope I just shrugged it off.**

**"So, onward to the Waffle House?" He asked and I nodded.**

**We headed towards the waffle house which was a five block walk and got a booth by the window. I ordered a short stack pancakes and Gopher ordered an omelet.**

**After ten minutes we got our breakfast.**

**"So Gopher-kun. How are you liking your life at Shibusen?" I asked him causing him to jump.**

**"It's good, why wouldn't it be?" He asked, he seemed really nervous.**

**"Okay. Well I'm proud of you Gopher-kun, you broke away from Noah's grip. That is a great achievement." I commented and Gopher seemed all the more nervous.**

**"Y-yeah…." He said nervously. "So when are you going on your date with Maka?" He asked.**

**"Oh! I don't know, Maka was thinking we should go around 7:30, so that's probably when." I said I had forgotten about the date and being reminded about the fact I was going on a date with MAKA brought me great happiness.**

Maka: …"great happiness". Very nice summation of all the emotions he could feel. Just top-notch.

**"So, you won't be there for a few hours right?" Gopher asked.**

**If I wasn't so happy I probably would have been suspicious, but I wasn't.**

Maka: That's an impressive level of foresight, Crona.

Crona: Thanks…

**"Yeah! Today will be the greatest day ever!" I said happily.**

Crona: *moans*

**Gopher nodded and ate his food quietly.**

**The rest of the day went by quickly. Me trying to think of what I would say during the date, Gopher going on a walk around town.**

**Finally Maka came by for us to go and Gopher gave us a nice goodbye.**

**"Have fun Crona! Stay out as long as you want!" Gopher said, he seemed eager for me to go out. but again I ignored the sign.**

Maka: You know, if this is supposed to be Crona looking back on what's happened, maybe you should try writing in the past tense? Again, just a thought.

**As we were walking around the streets heading to the movies, we were going to watch a movie about the friendship a child formed with an animal.**

Maka: Oh, I'm sure that isn't even remotely symbolic!

**"So, did you remember the tickets?" she asked and I mentally slapped myself.**

**"CRAP! I forgot!" I said in shock. "Y-you go on! I'll run back and get the tickets and then I'll run to the theaters!" I said getting ready to run.**

**"Alright, be careful!" Maka called as I ran. I yelled back that I would and ran like hell back to my room.**

**When I reached my room I grabbed the tickets and headed out.**

**I froze in the doorway and strained. What was that beeping? It was speeding up.**

**It…..sounded…like…..a bombs timer.**

**A BOMB TIMER?**

Maka: …wait, what?

**I ran right out and as quickly as I could, I had been around bombs before! I knew this kind of homemade bombs. This was bad!**

Maka: …Crona, have you ever been around _homemade_ bombs with _timers_?

Crona: I can safely say no…

**I heard more beeping from different places in the building as I ran up the stairs and I….**

**Tripped.**

Maka: Lame.

**(Maka)**

**sheMaka**

Maka: _SheMaka_?

Ragnarok: *loud, mocking laughter*

*MAKA CHOP!*

**decided I would go back with Crona so she headed towards Shibusen so she could maybe catch up with him.**

**She was a block away from Shibusen when she saw it blow up while Crona was in it.**

**It…**

**Blew…**

**Up..**

**And Crona was in it.**

**"CRONA!" she yelled in shock.**

**She saw Gopher from the sidelines and his face went pale.**

**"Crona….he was in there…?" He whispered. "Oh god….NO!" He yelled.**

Crona: Well, at least I was mercifully removed from this before it got even worse…

Maka: Crona, please don't joke about that…

**Okay! Next chapter will be the finale!**

Both: YAY!

**I hope you all liked this.**

Both: BOO!

**Welcome back! This is going to be a short chapter because I have lost every ounce of inspiration for this story! Yay! I no longer want to write this story and it's torture writing this chapter! Yay!**

Maka: If this is torture for you, _why are you making us suffer too_?

*SELF-DEPRECIATIVE HUMOUR AWAY!*

Both: WAH!

Maka: Will we ever get used to that?

Crona: I don't see it happening…

**Gopher**

**"NO! Crona!" I yelled running towards the school and dropping to his knees. "It wasn't supposed to be like this!"**

**I heard footsteps and saw Noah standing in front of me with a smirk. "Good job Gopher, you did your job well." He said clapping.**

**I felt tears run down my face. "You said Crona wouldn't get hurt!" I snapped.**

**He laughed. "I had no control over him running into the school." He said laughing. "Not my fault he's such an idiot he forgot the tickets and ran into his own demise."**

**I got up and punched him in the jaw. "Bastard!" I shouted as my fist collided with his face. "CRONA IS NOT AN IDIOT! HE IS THE BEST FRIEND ANYONE COULD ASK FOR!" I yelled.**

Maka: …well, they got that part right, at least.

Crona: …*heavy blush*

**I couldn't see Maka anymore, all I could see was Noah, the guy that was responsible for Cronas death as much as I was.**

**I continued to punch Noah, ripping the Book of Eibon out of his hands before he could open it and threw it into a puddle and kept punching him until he was lying on the ground unconscious.**

**I turned to look at the school and felt a single tear run down my face. Crona…**

**"Whoa! That hurt." I heard a voice mumble quietly and saw some rubble be shoved away from inside.**

**I saw the familiar pink hair and pale face covered in dirt and cuts. "Ouch. I hate being stuck in explosions." He said climbing out. "Good thing I have you Ragnarok, or I would be dead." He said.**

Ragnarok: Yeah, see? We could totally survive an explosion!

Maka: Please don't try and see if you actually could…

**I ran to him and brought him in a spleen crushing hug.**

Crona: I thought the spleen was in your head…

**"CRONA! YOUR ALIVE!" I yelled nuzzling his cheek.**

**"Of course the bitch is alive! If it weren't for me he'd be dead!" Ragnarok spat.**

**"Can't…..BREATH!" Crona gasped.**

**"MAKA CHOP!" Maka yelled hitting me in the head with a dictionary.**

**"Um…Why is Noah on the ground beaten to a pulp?" Crona asked and stared at Maka and I. "What did I miss?" He asked.**

**"Nothing! I am so glad you're okay!" I said continuing my hugging.**

Maka: _Hey_! What the hell? If I Maka Chopped him, he's supposed to be lying on the ground, unconscious! You can't just ignore that!

**"Um….alright I ****know**** I missed something now. What happened?" Crona asked.**

**"It's a LOOONG story." Maka said. "How about I tell you on the way to the movies?" She asked.**

**And with that we went to the movies, I knew where I belonged now, I belonged with Shibusen, with my friends, with my best friend, my little brother Crona.**

Crona: *spittake* _I'm his what now_?

Maka: …please tell me you didn't do that on purpose.

Crona: Do what on-…oh…

**And done! Crona isn't Gophers little brother, Gopher just at the end considers Crona as a brother at this point.**

Crona: That's not that much better!

Maka: Yeah, but at least she didn't create some ridiculous backstory in which it turned out you really _were_ brothers.

Crona: …why do I get the feeling someone will now…?

**Gopher beat up Noah! Wow!**

**Well this story is over! And I am going to post a new story Race For The Scythe Of Time after a make a few small changes on the first chapter that I already have finished!**

Maka: Great, I can't wait to see how badly you ruined us in that fic…

**I know this chapter was freaking short! I said earlier that I had no ounce of inspiration left for this story and I had started to regret making this story in the first place since I end up hating my stories towards the end of them.**

Maka: If you really hate your story that much, just leave it to die. It'll at least make our lives that much easier.

**Anyways I hope you like it.**

**Noah got beat up! Yay!**

Maka: And the same thing's going to happen to you if we ever find you! _Yay_.

/

Maka sighed, rubbing her eyes as the lights slowly came back on. She was about to rip into the story and give it the lashing she felt it deserved, but stopped when she looked at Crona.

Though he had seemed to be in a normal mood through the review, she could see that he seemed a bit sad. No, sad wasn't quite the right word. More…remorseful. Like he was thinking about something he deeply regretted.

Of course, Maka was a very intelligent girl, so it didn't take long for her to put the pieces together. The subject matter, the parallels made, the situation…it was pretty clear to her what was on Crona's mind.

She sighed, finally having enough. She reached over and gently placed a hand under Crona's chin, guiding his head so it was facing her. Crona blushed at the contact, his face changing to one of both confusion and worry.

"M-Maka…?"

"Crona…do you really want to know why I forgave you?"

Crona blinked in surprise. _How did she know…?_ he wondered. He gave a small nod, face still red.

"It wasn't because I took pity on you. And it wasn't because I was trying to use you."

Her hand moved from his chin and down to his chest, a finger poking him near his heart.

"It's because I know - and that's the key term here, I don't think, I _know_ - that in reality, you are a good person. That what you did to us was because of Medusa, not you. You are a good person, and before then, you never had the chance to show it. I wanted to give you that chance, because you deserved it."

Maka moved away, leaning back in her chair, eyes closed. She didn't see Crona's expression of awe, or the small tears that were forming in his eyes.

"Maybe…if Gopher really is a good person, I could one day forgive him…but I need to know that for sure. I can't just automatically forgive him if I think he's good…"

Crona hastily wiped the tears away, then froze in mid-wipe when he saw Maka lean forward, hands clenching into fists.

"I can't…not after what _she_ did…"

Crona shivered slightly. Maka didn't have to name names.

"…you know what happened with Arachne…right?"

Crona nodded slowly. "You…you went after her…because you thought she'd captured me…you were coming to rescue me…but she lied to you…"

"That's not the only thing…"

Crona blinked. "W-What do you mean…?"

"For…for just a moment…I thought she was worried about you…I thought she was actually trying to be a good mother…and that one thought made me think that maybe, just maybe, she could be good…and she _used that_!"

Crona jumped as Maka slammed her fist against the arm of her chair. He watched as Maka shook with anger, her face obscured by her hair.

"I hate her…I hate her for what she did to you…I hate her for how she used the both of us…and I hate her…for making it so hard for me to trust…"

Crona froze, the implications of Maka's words sinking in. Without a word, he reached over and wrapped Maka in a hug, pulling her as close to him as possible.

He could tell that Maka was tensed up, her heavy breathing a clear indication of her trying to calm herself. After a short while, she turned in her seat and wrapped her arms around him, returning the hug, her breath slowly returning to a normal pace. The two stayed like that, the only sound they could hear being the other's breathing. Maka noticed that Crona's was a bit shaken, and instantly regretted her outburst.

"Maka…please, Maka…don't change because of her…"

Maka's eyes widened. "Crona…"

"I told you…you're better than her, you know you are…if you let her do this to you, she'll win…she shouldn't win…not ever…"

Crona could feel Maka's hands grip the back of his robe slightly.

"Yeah…I know, Crona…I know…"

Her hands relaxed, and began to gently rub Crona's back. Instinctively, Crona began to do the same for Maka, without even knowing why he was. Instead, the only thought that was in his mind was one question that he truly wished someone would answer.

_Why…? Why did my mother have to be so cruel…?_

/

Alright, that's all done. Sorry for the rant earlier, but it needed to be said.

Now, for next time, I'll be needing a story that focuses on either Black*Star, Tsubaki, or both. Yeah, it's a little soon after the last guest appearance, but trust me, I have my reasons for it.

As always, questions and suggestions are appreciated, but _please_ follow the rule I mentioned.

See you next time.


	9. Beans

So, after reading MissTiff12's excellent fic "Value", which you need to go read _right now_, especially if you're a fan of this pairing, I realized that I don't write enough of Maka and Crona outside of the theater. I do, however, reference things quite a bit.

One of those references stuck in my mind quite a bit. I started to think about just how that incident would play out…and one thing led to another…and, well, you see the results before you.

I'm probably going to regret writing this at some point, but after being so damn serious with this for so long, I need to write some humour. Or what I think is funny, but whatever.

WARNING!: The following is without a doubt the crackiest thing I have ever written. If you don't think you can handle such madness, turn away now and wait for the next review. If you can, make sure your tongues are planted firmly in your cheeks and your serious caps are taken off, because this is not meant to be realistic at all.

And awaaaaaaay we go.

/

Maka sometimes wondered what it would be like to live alone.

Not that she had a problem living with Soul and Blair, but there were a few issues with it. Privacy was scarce when living with others, so she would sometimes have to wander off somewhere else when she needed to be alone. And while she loved Soul and Blair like family, naturally, there were times when they got on her nerves. Particularly when Blair would rub herself all over Soul, giving him yet another nosebleed. It wouldn't bother her so much if she didn't know that some part of Soul enjoyed the attention.

Still, she had got used to the idea. Which is why she didn't see a problem with giving Crona a key to their apartment, as well as free reign to pop in any time. After all, she had gotten closer with the timid swordsman, and didn't think there would be a problem with letting him visit whenever he wanted to. Sure, that meant he would probably be over every day, but Maka saw no issue with that.

And while there had been one or two minor incidents, usually involving Blair being…well, Blair, and Crona locking himself in the closest room he could find, for the most part, he had been his usual polite, gentle self.

Looking back on it, Maka thought she should've known better.

She immediately noticed that something was wrong when she came home to find Blair sitting outside of their apartment room, covered in yarn. For once, Blair was completely speechless, just staring straight ahead, mouth hanging open in shock.

"Blair…?" Maka wondered. "What're you doing out-EEP!"

Maka was cut off by Blair jumping to her feet, dashing over to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. Her face had quickly changed to one of pure panic.

"Maka! You have to do something about him! He's completely lost his mind!"

Maka blinked, holding up her hands in front of her. "Whoa, whoa, calm down, Blair. Who's lost his mind?"

"The cute little swordsman! I thought you said he was nice! He's acting like a total maniac!"

_Cute little swordsman?_ Maka wondered, before her eyes widened in understanding. "Wait…you mean Crona?"

Blair nodded, which flat out scared Maka. _Oh God, I thought he was done with the Madness!_

"It was horrible!" Blair continued. "The door was open when I got here, so I figured he had come to visit. So I went in to play with him, but then he threw a ball of yarn at me! He was running all around me, untying the yarn and spinning it, and then he started barking at me! He got down on all fours, just like a dog, and kept barking and growling at me! I got scared and ran out here, and he locked the door behind me!"

Maka simply stared at Blair, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. _OK…that definitely doesn't sound like Crona under the Madness…or Crona at all, for that matter._

"…are you sure this is Crona you're talking about?" Maka asked.

"What, does he have a twin who also happens to be a swordsman? …and if he does, could you introduce us?"

"_Blair_!"

"What? I wouldn't hurt him! I'd just play with him and hug him and pet him and squeeze him…"

Maka sighed, pulling herself away from Blair and walking over to her door. She pulled out her key and slowly unlocked the door, carefully pushing it open and peeking inside.

"Crona…? Are you in here…? Is everything O-" Maka stopped when she saw just what had happened to her apartment and what Crona was now doing. "…K?"

It wasn't so much the opened cupboards, the random foods laying about, or the knocked over chairs that bothered Maka. No, what stuck on in Maka's mind was that Crona was somehow laying on the top of their sofa, balancing himself on his stomach, arms and legs stretched out. And that he was making some strange _vroom_ sound.

"…uh…" was all that could escape Maka's mouth.

"Look!"

Maka jumped slightly as Crona pointed skyward, still laying on his stomach.

"Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Super CronAH!"

The last part of Crona's cheer trailed off into a shout, as Crona had rolled off of the sofa and landed on the floor behind it. Maka was about to go and see if he was OK, but he immediately sat up, arms crossed and a look of triumph on his face.

"Hah! Falling from dizzying heights is nothing for the invincible Super Crona!"

Maka simply stared at Crona in disbelief as he gave rather loud, boastful laughs. Every part of her mind was trying to think of just why Crona was acting the way he was, and nothing could be thought of.

She then jumped slightly as Crona abruptly turned his head, noticing her for the first time.

"_Maka_!"

Maka was very surprised at how quickly Crona had jumped to his feet, dashed forward and wrapped Maka up in a hug.

"Hi Maka! I missed you!" Crona exclaimed, a big dopey smile on his face as he nuzzled under Maka's chin.

_OK…what the hell am I supposed to do?_ Maka wondered as she gently patted Crona's back. She figured she should at least play along, as just flat out asking what happened would probably scare this extremely hyper Crona.

"Um…I missed you too, Crona!"

Crona was somehow able to dislodge himself from under Maka's chin without crashing into her, and was now staring into Maka's eyes, the huge smile still on his face.

"Did'ja? Did'ja really?"

"Um…of course I did!"

Crona gave a very barely contained "eeee" of joy and resumed nuzzling Maka's shirt. "You missed meeeeeeee…"

Maka could feel her face flushing in response to the undivided attention she was receiving, as well as the rather…close contact. Naturally, Blair chose right then to peek into the room.

"Dear God…I think that might've been the cutest squeal I ever heard."

Before Maka could respond to Blair, Crona somehow spun the two of them around, both of their sides now facing the doorway. Still hanging onto Maka, he dislodged his head again and leaned towards Blair.

"Arararararar!"

The loud, rapid barking was enough to send Blair back out of the room, giving a small squeak of fright. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Crona glared at where Blair was. "You're a bad kitty! I don't like you, bad kitty!"

Maka could swear she heard a small whimper coming from outside, followed by "not a bad kitty…" She then turned to look at Crona again, who had released her and had grabbed both of her hands, putting them together in front of her.

"Hey, hey, Maka! Did I ever tell you how much I like your name?"

Maka blinked, face still red. "Uh…no, no you didn't…"

"It's so much fun to say! Ma-ka. Ma-ka. Ma-ka." Crona sang, head bobbing from side to side while doing so. "It has such a nice ring to it! Each syllable has two letters, and they're symmetrically divided too! Oooh, Kid would like that! And it's so much fun to play with, too! Like this! Maaaaaaaaaka. Maaaaaaaka. Or Makaaaaaaaaa. Makaaaaaaaaaa. No, wait, the second one sounds too much like I'm whining. Oh, and it's really short too, so I can say it really fast! Like this! -"

Maka quickly pulled her hands out from Crona's, placing them on his shoulders in an attempt to get him to calm down. Crona simply blinked at Maka in confusion.

"OK…Crona…" Maka said very slowly. "I need you to tell me exactly what you did when you got here."

Crona stared at Maka for a minute, not making any movements to speak. He then gave a wide smile, eyes closed.

"Your eyes are pretty, Maka."

Maka blushed, sputtering slightly in surprise. "C…Crona, focus…"

Crona's eyes opened. "Oh! Right, right! Well, the door was locked when I first came here, so I used my key to let myself in. You said I could, you did, you diiiiid!"

Maka sighed. "Yes, yes I did…"

"So I sat on the couch when I saw that no one was home, and I was just waiting for you to get back! But then I got hungry, so I went looking for a snack…that's not rude or anything, is it?"

"No, that's fine, Crona…"

"Oh, good! So I was looking around and I found some chocolate jellybeans! I didn't even know they made those! And I hope you don't mind, but they tasted so good, and before I knew it, I ate them aaaaaaaaall up!"

Maka blinked. "…Crona…they _don't_ make chocolate jellybeans."

Crona frowned, holding up a plastic bag. "Then what'd I eat?"

Maka took the bag, reading the label that was on it. Her eyes narrowed as she saw just what the bag's contents really were.

"…Crona…these are chocolate-covered _coffee_ beans."

"Is that bad?"

"Yes, it's way more sugar and caffeine than anyone needs in-" Maka looked up as she continued, but stopped when she noticed that Crona had moved.

"…Crona, what are you doing?"

"Trying to grab your ceiling fan!"

"…why are you trying to grab our ceiling fan?"

"Because I wanna swing off of it!"

"…why do you want to swing off of it?"

"Because I wanna be a monkey!"

"Why do you…never mind."

Maka turned back to the bag, ignoring Crona's attempts at stretching for the fan. _I knew Soul getting these was a bad idea…and why did he have to get such a big bag?_

She sighed, placing the bag in her pocket and quickly forming a plan. _OK…I just keep Crona in here until he calms down…Soul's busy with a Death Scythe briefing and Blair's pretty much…occupied right now, so it'll be just him and me…I can keep him under control, no problem._

"Hey, Maka!"

Maka looked up at the sound of Crona's voice. "Yes, Cro-_Crona, what are you doing_?"

Crona was now perched on the open windowsill, legs positioned for a jump.

"Watch me!"

With that, Crona jumped out of the window, tucking his arms and legs in.

"CANNONBAAAAAAAALL!"

"_CRONA_!"

_THUD_!

Maka dashed to the window as fast as she could and looked down. She saw Crona sitting in a rather small crater, giving rather loud shouts of pain.

"OwowowowowOW! That huuuuuuuurt!"

Maka gave a loud sigh of relief, slumping over the windowsill. _I never thought I'd be thankful that he has the black blood…or that there are only two floors to this apartment…_

Just then, that familiar _splortch_ echoed through the area, as Ragnarok burst out from Crona's back, already more than upset.

"_Why in the flyingest of fucks did you do that_? Have you finally gone full-on psycho?"

Crona got to his feet, brushing the dirt off of his behind as Ragnarok surveyed the damage.

"Jesus! Just look at what your fat ass did to the sidewalk!"

"Hey! At least I have an ass!"

"…what the fuck are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! You have no ass! You are literally minus an ass!"

Ragnarok stared at Crona in disbelief. "…the fuck is your point?"

"My point is that the only reason you make fun of my ass is because you're jealous! Not only because I have an ass and you don't, but because I was _blessed_ with such a wonderfully perfect ass!"

Ragnarok stared at Crona for a moment, before looking up at Maka. "What the fuck did you do to him, flat-chest? Did you slip him some meds or some-ACK!"

Crona cut Ragnarok off mid-sentence by pushing on the back of his head, forcing Ragnarok to look down.

"Go ahead! Stare at it! Be jealous of my ass!"

"What? Dude, no! I don't want to look at your ass!"

"_Look at my perfectly voluptuous ass_!"

"NO! Screw you, I'm out of here!"

With that, Ragnarok quickly retreated back to Crona's body, though this didn't stop Crona from continuing with the subject.

"No, screw _you_, Ragnarok! You know I have the sexiest ass in existence, but you just refuse to admit it! Well, fine! If you won't say it, I'll get someone else to!"

Crona turned, facing Shibusen Academy and taking a deep breath.

"I am the sexiest beast in the world, and I must make sure everyone knows it!"

Crona then dashed off towards the Academy, running faster than Maka had ever seen anyone run, much less Crona.

…_OK…to recap._ Maka thought. _Crona's hyped up on way too much sugar and caffeine, and is now loose in the streets of Death City, with his sights set on the Academy. Where everyone else is. With him willing to say or do anything_.

It was no surprise that Maka then turned and ran out the door as fast as she could.

/

"Ugh…why do we have to go to school when it's so hot out?" Kim wondered aloud.

Jacqueline shrugged. "Well, we do live in Nevada…that pretty much covers just about every day."

"But can't Lord Death do something about that? I mean, he's _Death_. He should be able to do something about the weather."

"…what does one have to do with the other?"

"You know what I-OOF!"

"OOF!"

The girls' conversation was cut off due to being bowled over by some strange pink-and-black blur, which also fell over beside them. Kim soon sat up, rubbing her head in pain.

"Owwwww! Why don't you watch where you're going, you-"

She then looked up to see Crona on his knees, staring at her with an expression of shock on his face.

"…hey, you're that Crona guy, right? What's the deal? Why'd you run me over?"

Crona's jaw dropped open, and Kim noticed that he had crawled over so that he was closer to her. She noticed that he was still staring at her, in particular her face.

"…what?"

"Oh. My. _God_."

Kim then squeaked in surprise as Crona grabbed her head and pushed it down slightly, his eyes now staring at the top of it.

"You have _pink hair_!"

Kim knocked his hands away as she looked back up at Crona. "So do you! What's your point?"

"That _is_ my point! How did I not notice this sooner? What are the chances of someone else with pink hair being in my neighbourhood?"

Crona then gave a long gasp as an idea entered his head. He quickly grabbed both of Kim's hands and held them in front of her.

"What if we're related? What if you're actually my long lost sister? That would be so cool! I've never had a sister before!"

Kim just stared at Crona, completely lost as to what he was talking about. Not that that stopped him from doing so.

"But wait! You're a witch, so maybe it's just a witch thing! But I'm not a witch…but my mother _was_ a witch! And a bitch. Hey, that rhymed! Bitch witch! Witch bitch! Witchy bitch! Bitchy witch!"

Crona then let go of Kim's hands and got to his feet, suddenly jumping around while breaking into song.

"My mother was a bitchy witch,

My mother was a bitchy witch,

My mother was a bitchy wiiiiiiiiitch…

And then I stabbed her dead! Whee!"

Crona then spun in a circle, before looking at Kim again. "We should hang out! I hardly know you and we could be family! Oh, but I got things to do, so maybe another time!"

He then turned to look at Jacqueline. "Hi and bye, other-person-I-don't-really-know!"

With that, Crona dashed off towards the Academy, leaving Kim and Jacqueline on the ground, completely lost and stunned.

"…Jacqueline?"

"Yes, Kim…?"

"What the hell just happened?"

/

If Crona could look back on this moment, he would probably wonder how in the hell he was moving so fast. Apparently high dosages of sugar and caffeine was enough to make even someone as slow and clumsy as him move as though they had been training in track and field their entire life. Not that Crona was thinking about that right now…or much of anything for that matter.

_Going to the Academy for no good reasoooooon…wait, was that Kid?_

He came to a halt on the Academy steps, making a sound that was very similar to tires screeching. He looked back and saw that he had indeed passed by Death the Kid, as well as both of the Thompson Sisters on his way up. He turned and ran back down, stopping beside the trio.

"Hey, hey! Kid!"

Kid blinked in surprise. "Er…what is it, Crona?"

"Look at my hair!"

Kid looked up at Crona's head. "…yes, it is very…pink, Crona."

"No, no!" Crona shouted, grabbing a few strands of hair and tugging at them. "Look! One of my bangs is shorter than the other!"

Naturally, once Kid had noticed that this was, in fact, true, his jaw dropped and he gave a loud shout of horror. "AGH! IT IS!"

"Yes! Yes it is! And some of my bangs are cut, while other ones aren't! Some of the hair on my left side is longer than on my right! My hair is completely asymmetrical!"

Kid had dropped to his knees as Crona explained this, hands on the sides of his head as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Not that this stopped Crona. In fact, it seemed to encourage him, as he leaned over Kid, continuing to tug at his hair.

"No! No! Crona, please, stop!"

"Yeeeees! Fear my asymmetry! Fear it! _Feeeeeeeear it_!"

By this point, Kid had curled up into a ball on the steps of the Academy, crying and begging for it all to end. "Stop iiiiiiiiiit…"

Crona straightened up, wide dopey grin on his face as he looked at the Thompsons. Liz, naturally, was staring at Crona as though he had gone completely insane. Patty, on the other hand, was giggling as she usually did. Patty seemed like more fun to Crona, so he talked to her.

"Hey, hey! Patty!"

"What, what, Crona?"

"Listen to my song!"

"OK!"

Crona took a deep breath, then began to sing.

"Miiiiiiss Landers was a health nut, she cooked food in her wok,

Mr. Harris was her boyfriend, and he had a great big-

Cock-a-doodle-doodle, the rooster just won't quit,

and I don't want my breakfast, because it tastes like-

Shi Tzus make good house pets, they're cuddly and sweet,

monkeys aren't good to have because they like to beat their-

Meeting in the office, a meeting in the hall,

the boss wants to see you, so you can suck his-

Balzac was a writer, he lived with Allen Funt,

Mrs. Roberts doesn't like him, but that's 'cause she's a-

Contaminated water can really make you sick,

your bladder gets infected, and blood comes out your-

Dictate what I'm saying, 'cause it will bring you luck,

and if you all don't like it I don't give a flying fu-"

"CRONA!"

Crona stopped singing, though he had achieved his purpose, as Patty was rolling around, howling with laughter. He looked for the source of the voice, and saw Maka running towards the stairs.

"Uh-oh! That's my cue!"

Liz looked at Crona, asking the first question that came to her mind. "Wait…why is Maka chasing you?"

Crona grinned. "Oh, we're just playing the greatest game of tag _ever_! Maka's It, though she doesn't really know that…anyway, gotta go!"

With that, Crona dashed up to the Academy, leaving Liz with a crying Kid and a laughing Patty.

…_story of my life._ Liz thought just as Maka ran up to her, stopping and gasping for breath.

"Was Crona just here…?" Maka asked.

Liz stared at Maka for a second, then pointed at both Patty and Kid. "What do you think?"

Maka looked at the curled up Kid, who was still sobbing slightly and muttering something about a haircut. She looked at Patty, who was now sitting up, wiping away tears of laughter.

"…wow."

"Yeah." Liz replied. "You want to explain what's gotten into him?"

"Whatever it is, he needs to do it more often!" Patty exclaimed. "He's a lot more fun like this!"

Maka stared at Patty for a moment, before leaning over at Liz and whispering in her ear.

"Whatever you do, make sure she does not decide to buy any chocolate-covered coffee beans."

Liz stared at Maka, looking at her as though she had spontaneously told her she was from the planet Xygbar 2.

"You're telling _me_ to make sure _Patty_ doesn't go near chocolate-covered coffee beans."

"…good point."

Maka then ran past Liz and up the stairs, one question running through her mind.

_How the hell is he moving so damn fast?_

/

In Crona's now very scattered mind, he was the most elite of secret agents. He deftly zipped from point to point, carefully making his way down the hall after an easy entrance into the Academy. He would've been humming the Mission Impossible theme, but that would've given him away.

He peeked around a corner, and saw his targets: Black*Star and Tsubaki, walking away from him.

_Target acquired._ he thought.

He jumped out from his position, ran forward, and jumped up…onto Tsubaki's back.

"Surprise piggyback ride!"

"ACK!"

"_What the hell_?"

Tsubaki wobbled around, just barely staying on her feet while Crona giggled like a madman. He leaned over her head, looking down as she looked up at him.

"C-Crona?"

"Hi hi!"

Crona then got off of Tsubaki's back, the suddenly release of weight causing her to fall to her knees. He dashed in front of her, leaning down.

"Hey, hey! Tsubaki!"

"…yes, Crona?"

"I'm cute, right?"

"…w-what?"

Crona started poking his own cheeks. "Admit it! I am cute! I'm positively adorable! You can't resist this face, no one can!"

He leaned further forward, his face almost uncomfortable close to Tsubaki's. "You're an expert on the subject! I know you like-a the cute!"

He then blinked, suddenly thoughtful. "Or…wait, maybe that's another tall pretty girl with long, dark hair I'm thinking about…"

_Wait…did he just call me pretty?_ Tsubaki wondered, but quickly forgot about it when Crona was looking at her again.

"C'mon! I'm totally cute! Riiiiight?"

"Um…s-sure?"

Crona straightened up, face triumphant. "See? I totally knew it!"

He then turned to Black*Star, jumping over in front of him.

"Hey, hey! Black*Star!"

"What?"

Crona looked at Black*Star, then looked down. Black*Star couldn't quite tell just what he was looking at, but when he looked back up, he noticed a very uncharacteristic grin was on Crona's face. Almost like he knew some big secret and was just begging to tell him.

"…I'm totally bigger than you."

"…_WHAT_?"

"Also!"

Crona reached over and grabbed Black*Star's scarf, unwrapping it and pulling it off of him.

"Hey!"

"This scarf is way too cool for you!"

Crona then quickly wrapped the scarf around his own neck, deftly tying it tight enough so it wouldn't fall off.

"See? It looks so much better on me!"

Crona then turned, shouted "away!", and ran off.

Both Black*Star and Tsubaki stared at Crona as he ran away, what he just said to them still being processed in their minds. Finally, Black*Star turned to Tsubaki.

"…Crona's finally snapped, hasn't he?"

/

_BOOM_!

Six heads turned to look at Crona as he burst into the classroom, wondering why he was frantically looking around the room. Kilik then saw that Crona noticed him, and instinctively got on guard as Crona dashed towards him.

Crona stared at Kilik for a moment, then looked at his two partners, Fire and Thunder. He then leaned forward and whispered in Kilik's ear.

"Dude…you hang around with two kids...creeeeeeepyyyyyyyy…"

"…wait, what?"

He didn't get any more than that, as Crona ran past him and stopped in front of Ox and Harvar. Crona looked back and forth between the two of them, before grabbing Ox by the shirt and pulling him aside, thinking he was out of Harvar's earshot.

"Pssst…I think Harvar's got a crush on you…"

Ox stared at Crona. "…what?"

"Dude, he's got to! I mean, you're the only person he hangs around with, and he isn't exactly interested in Jacqueline, is he? Plus there's that whole weapon partner thing…though if that's true, that totally ruins my chances with Maka…oops! Did I say that last part out loud?"

Crona then let go of Ox, leaning over him with an evil smirk on his face. "Buuuuut, maybe I'm lying! Maybe I'm just saying all this to mess with your head! Your bald, shiny head that hides your enormous brain!"

He then started poking Ox's head. "See, you're almost as smart as Maka is-"

"Almost?"

"-which means that you must think about stuff an awful lot! And since you don't know if I'm lying or not, that means you're going to be wondering whether or not this is really true, and that means you're have a ton of sleepless nights, and it could totally ruin your relationship with your partner!"

His constant poking had pushed Ox to his knees, his mind already wondered about the possibility of his partner having a gay crush on him. _Is Harvar gay? I mean, I've never seen him with a girl…or anyone besides me-NO! Stop that! That's just what he wants you to think!_

"One, two, Crona's coming for you…

Three, four, better lock your door…

Five, six, grab a crucifix…

Seven, eight, gonna stay up late…

Nine, ten, NEVER SLEEP AGAIN!"

Crona then threw his head back, giving a loud, evil laugh, full of "mwas" and "hahas", which actually impressed one Professor Stein, who was sitting at the front of the classroom, watching the chaos.

_Who knew Crona had such a good evil laugh?_ he thought. _…wait, why is he laughing evilly, anyway?_

He was jolted out of his thoughts as Crona dashed up to him, face beaming in delight.

"Hey, hey! Professor Stein!"

"…what is it, Crona?"

"Why do you dissect stuff?"

"…because I like to see how things work."

"Why?"

"Because I'm curious by nature."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a scientist."

"Why?"

"…because it's what I've always wanted to be."

"Why?"

"Because I want to learn more."

"Why?"

"…because I like learning."

"Why?"

"Because it's fun."

"Why?"

"…because that's what I learned from my parents."

"Why?"

"Because that's how they raised me."

"Why?"

"…because they were my parents."

"Why?"

"…because they loved each other very much."

"Why?"

"Because-"

"CRONA!"

Crona blinked. "Whoops! Talk later, gotta go!"

With that, Crona dashed back out the door and down the hall, leaving six people utterly confused. Stein quietly wheeled his chair over to the doorway, just as Maka stopped in front of it, gasping for breath.

"…what's gotten into Crona?"

Maka pulled out the plastic bag and handed it to Stein. "This, that's what…"

Stein examined the label on the bag while Maka continued to catch her breath.

"…oh dear."

"Yeah…but I have to admit, he's acting crazier than I expected…"

Stein handed the bag back to Maka, before placing a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it.

"You have to remember, Maka, Crona is someone who has had criminally few experiences in life. I'd be very surprised if Medusa ever gave him something as simple as a hard candy, let alone…these. And when you take into account his usual reserved nature, and the fact that he apparently ate quite a few of these-"

"He did."

"-then this reaction isn't wholly unexpected. The sheer amount of sugar and caffeine running through his body has removed all willingness to think about his actions. He has, if I may use the Freudian term, gone full Id."

He took a drag off the cigarette and exhaled into the air, careful not to blow the smoke in Maka's direction. "Though, that does beg the question…"

"What?"

"Why would Crona want to play the "why" game with me?"

"…the why game?"

"Yes. Where you respond with every question you're given with "why". I was under the impression children only played that game with parental figures."

Maka and Stein stared at one another for a short while, Maka wondering if the implications were clear to Stein. If they were, he didn't show it, as he simply shrugged and resumed smoking.

"…so what should I do?" Maka asked.

"Well, as I said, his inexperience with the substances, as well as the sheer amount of both, were the causes of this effect. Likewise, when his rush ends, he will crash, and he will crash _very_ hard. Where was he before he became like this?"

"My place, on my couch."

"Then I suggest that when he crashes, you take him back there as quickly as possible. And, for the sake of his very fragile self-esteem, we should act as though nothing happened today."

Maka sighed, straightening up. "Don't have to explain that to me…"

She then ran off in Crona's direction, Stein watching her go. As he took another drag off of his cigarette, one thought entered his mind.

_Who knew he could run so fast?_

/

"…and so, while there has been little activity from the witches lately, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. With the Kishin Asura still out there, and still no sign of the Book of Eibon, it's highly likely our next attack could come at any time."

Soul rolled his eyes as Lord Death continued his speech. _In other words, all we can do is sit on our asses and wait for something to happen…geez, I could've told them that, and I wouldn't have needed to take this long to do it…_

_BOOM_!

The four Death Scythes turned to the source of the noise, only to see Crona dash into the room, coming to a screeching halt in front of them and Lord Death.

"SAFE!"

Five faces stared at him in confusion as he stood there, grinning as though he had just won the World Series all by himself.

…_why is Crona wearing Black*Star's scarf?_ Soul wondered for a moment, only for Crona to suddenly jump in front of him.

"Hey, hey! Soul!"

"…what?"

"Thanks for the chocolate beans! They were yummy!"

"…what chocolate beans-…wait."

Soul grabbed Crona by the shoulders, the realization dawning on him. "_You ate my chocolate-covered coffee beans_?"

"Yep! I ate 'em alllll up!"

Soul's jaw dropped, his expression one of pure horror. He didn't notice Crona slip out from his grasp.

_Oh God…Maka is going to KILL me…_ he realized. Crona, however, had already moved on to the next Death Scythe.

"Surprise hug for Professor Marie!"

Marie blinked as Crona wrapped his arms around her, laying his head on her shoulder. Marie looked over at Azusa for a moment, who simply shrugged. Marie then gently patted Crona on the back.

"Um…thank you, Crona."

Crona smiled up at her. "You're so nice to me, Professor Marie…I wish you were my mommy instead of Medusa."

Marie froze, her jaw dropping and her face one of total shock. Not that Crona noticed, as he had already let go of her and ran over to Azusa.

"Surprise hug for Ms. Azusa!"

Azusa simply stared at Crona as he wrapped his arms around her, much like he had for Marie.

"…why are you hugging me, Crona?"

Crona looked up at her. "Because you're Professor Marie's best friend, and I didn't want you to feel left out."

"…oh. …er…thank you?"

Crona smiled. "You know, you remind me a lot of another friend of mine. But I'm not supposed to talk about her."

(elsewhere, a certain teenage superheroine sneezed. Her green-skinned friend responded with "gesundheit")

Azusa's face changed to one of total confusion, but Crona had already let her go and moved on. He stared up at the "true" Death Scythe, one Spirit Albarn.

Spirit held his hands up in an attempt to stop Crona. "Whoa, whoa, no hugs for me, thank you. I don't even really know you that well, and to tell you the truth-"

Spirit then let out a slight "oof" as Crona gave him a very hard shove, causing him to fall on his rear. He glared up at Crona, completely confused and now angry.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?"

Crona pointed at Spirit. "You suck, Maka's dad! No wonder your own daughter wishes you were dead!"

The effect was instantaneous, as Spirit's jaw dropped and he let out a loud choking noise. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he then proceeded to bawl like a baby, curling up into a ball as tears ran down his face.

"It's not truuuuuuuuuuue!"

Lord Death simply looked at his four Death Scythes now that Crona had finished with them. One was crying like a little child, another looked as though they were about to do the same, a third was frozen in sheer horror, and the fourth was just completely lost.

…_it's a good thing he's on our side_. Lord Death mused, but was brought out of his thoughts as Crona suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Hey, hey! Mr. Lord Death sir!"

"…yes, Crona?"

"We cool, right?"

"…I'm sorry, what?"

"Well, you're not still mad at me for being evil and attacking people and all? Twice? I mean, that's not still a problem, is it?"

"…Crona, I distinctly recall forgiving you for what you've done…again…"

"So, we cool?"

"…yes, yes I suppose we are."

"That's cool. Because you're cool. And I'm cool. And since we're both cool, we should be cool with each other. Cool?"

"…um…cool?"

"Cooooooooo-URK!"

Crona was suddenly yanked back by his now-not-so-helpful scarf, and looked up to see a very tired and clearly agitated Maka, who was panting and sweating from all the running she had to do. Not that Crona noticed or cared, he was just happy to see her.

"Hi Maka!"

Maka twitched and had to hold back a scream. _OK, calm down, Maka. This is Crona here. A very hyped up, out of control Crona, but it's still Crona! And you do not need a crying Crona on your hands!_

"Hey! Look at all the people!"

Maka turned around. Sure enough, all of the people that Crona had run into that day (in some cases, literally) had apparently decided to follow the little ball of hyperactivity to either see what he'd do next, or possibly to get back at him.

_Just great…now they're all here to watch Crona make a bigger fool of himself…I swear, I could just…wait…that's it!_

Maka quickly grabbed Crona by the collar to get his attention, which had been focused on waving at the crowd behind them. He blinked as Maka's expression changed to a very stern one.

"Crona, if you don't calm down right now, I am going to be _very_ upset with you!"

Crona blinked up at Maka, the smile quickly leaving his face. The two of them stared at one another for a short while, neither of them moving an inch. Soon enough, Crona simply fell on his rear, and uttered one word.

"OK."

Maka blinked, kneeling down so she could remain at Crona's level. _No…there is no way…it cannot be that simple…_

"I'm sorry, Maka." Crona replied, face now neutral. "I was just playing with everyone. Forgive me?"

Maka fell back on her rear, letting go of Crona's collar. After a few seconds, she sighed, reaching up to ruffle Crona's hair.

"Of course I forgive you, Crona…"

Crona smiled widely, eyes closed. "That's good…" Then, expression staying the same, he followed that up with "Sleeptime now."

With that, Crona's head drooped, and he started breathing in and out in small, almost cute wheezes, indicating that he was now asleep.

Maka leaned back, letting out a long, loud sigh of relief. Which was quickly drowned out by the loud "awwws" that came from a number of people in the crowd, though which were responsible, Maka couldn't tell.

It was then that she realized that they had just seen her small gesture of affection. They all had. And all that anger and frustration began to rise up in her so fast, she could swear she felt steam coming out of her ears.

"…Ragnarok…"

That familiar _splortch_ echoed again, as Ragnarok crawled out of Crona's back.

"Yeah, what do you want-GACK!"

Maka had lunged forward, wrapping a hand around Ragnarok's throat. When she next spoke, it was in a very unusually calm tone.

"…what I am about to say not only goes for him, but for everyone in this room. And I do mean _everyone_."

Lord Death had always acknowledged Maka as the most courageous out of the current class of meisters. Perhaps more so than her own mother. But just the fact that she had inadvertently threatened _him_…well, the shock alone was enough to make him edge away from her a bit.

"When he wakes up…" Maka continued. "If anyone here breathes a word of what happened today to him…I will find out. I will come to you. And by the time I find you, I will have thought of the slowest and most painful way to _beat you to death_. Are we clear?"

Her threat was met with an immediate chorus of "yes's" and "yes ma'ams". She then let go of Ragnarok, who quickly retreated back into Crona's body. She reached up, untied Black*Star's scarf and removed it from Crona, before gently lifting him onto her shoulder.

Without a word to anyone (though she did throw what was unmistakably a death glare at Soul), she marched through the crowd, stopping only to give Black*Star his scarf back, and was out the door before anyone could speak to her.

The room was quiet for a few minutes, before slowly breaking out into random conversation. Some talked about just what Crona had done to them, while others wondered what exactly caused it. But they all agreed: they weren't about to go against Maka's wishes.

Azusa looked up at Stein as he walked over to her and Marie. "Should I ask what that was all about?"

"It would be best not to." Stein replied, before noticing Marie's expression. She was trembling, her face bright red.

"Marie? What's the matter?"

Marie looked up at him. "Stein…Oh, Frank…"

She then dashed forward, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. "I'm so happyyyyyyyyy…"

Stein heard Marie start to sob, and looked up at Azusa, completely lost. Azusa sighed.

"I'll explain later."

/

Crona blinked as he slowly awoke, wondering for a moment where he was. As his eyes readjusted, he saw that he was in Maka's apartment, and was laying on what was clearly her couch.

…_have I been sleeping here all this time?_ he wondered as he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes while doing so.

"Oh, good, you're awake."

Crona turned to the source of the voice to see Maka leaning over the couch, a small smile on her face.

"Hey, you."

"H-Hi, Maka…"

Maka walked around the couch, sitting down beside him.

"H-How long was I asleep…?" Crona asked.

"Pretty much all day. See?"

She pointed out the window, and Crona saw that the sun had set and that it was already nighttime. And Maka hadn't exactly lied, as he had pretty much slept ever since crashing back at the Academy.

"Oh no…"

Maka blinked. "What's the matter?"

"I wasted the whole day…we won't get to do anything now…"

Maka sighed slightly at Crona's sad expression. _Well, at least he's back to normal…_ she thought. She gave him a playful poke in the shoulder.

"See? This is what happens when you don't sleep at night, Crona. Sooner or later, it catches up with you."

"…sorry…"

"It's OK, I'm not mad, Crona. I'm just making sure you understand why I worry about you, that's all."

Crona blushed slightly at the "worry about you" part of that sentence, but gave a slight nod of understanding. Maka then turned to her side, reaching beside the couch and pulling up a pillow and blanket.

"Tell you what. You still look pretty tired, so you can sleep here tonight. Then we can do something fun tomorrow. OK?"

Crona turned to look at Maka, his expression suddenly changing to one of intense worry.

"B-But…what if we can't?"

"…what do you mean?"

"What if something happens between now and then? What if you have to go away somewhere before I wake up? Or what if the witches attack and drag me away in my sleep? Or someone breaks in and kills you? Or what if this is all just a dream and I wake up soon and I'm back with her and nothing that happened was ever real-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Maka had moved over and grabbed Crona's shoulders in an attempt to stop his rambling. "Crona, relax! None of that is going to happen!"

"H-How do you know…?"

"Because it won't."

She gently placed her hands on Crona's face, turning it so he was looking at her. Crona was trembling slightly, but his face was flushing from the contact.

"Listen to me. I _promise_, when you wake up tomorrow morning, I will be right here. OK?"

Crona shivered slightly. "…r-really?"

"Yes, really."

"…O…OK…"

Maka smiled, then leaned forward, gently placing her forehead against his. Crona gave a slight gasp, but didn't move. She stayed there, waiting patiently as Crona slowly calmed down, the shivering and shaking coming to an end.

Afterwards, she helped Crona set the couch up for sleep, placing the pillow on the opposite end and gently placing the blanket over him. As he laid down, Maka knelt beside him.

"…I'm sorry, Maka…"

Maka tilted her head. "For what?"

"For wasting the day…for making you wait for me to wake up…and…and…"

Crona frowned, rubbing his forehead. "And for something else…but I'm not sure what…"

"…you don't even know what you're sorry for?"

"I think…it sounds silly, but I think it has to do with this dream I had…"

Maka blinked. "D-Dream?"

"Yeah…I don't remember a lot of it…but there was something about Kim being my sister…me singing to Patty…Tsubaki giving me a piggyback ride…Harvar being gay…and I think I shoved your father…"

Maka stared at Crona, her mind quickly trying to come up with the best response. She then gave a small, cheeky grin.

"What? You sorry that you dreamed about so many girls?"

Crona quickly flushed, hands raised. "Th-Th-That's not…I didn't think of…that isn't what..."

Maka giggled, reaching up and gently touching Crona's cheek. "I'm just teasing, Crona. Really, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

Crona gave a small, weary smile in return. "Y-Yeah…"

Crona then laid down, resting his head on the pillow and giving a small yawn.

"Good night, Maka…"

Maka smiled. "Sleep well, Crona…"

Crona's eyes closed, and before long, he was sound asleep.

Maka got back up, walking over and sitting on the couch beside him, watching him sleep. After a few moments, she let out a small sigh and leaned back, one thought going through her mind.

_How can someone as skinny as him be so damn heavy_?

/

Yeah, I'm so going to literary Hell for this.

The next review will be up when it's ready.

Adios.


	10. Story 6: Bursting Onto The Stage!

OK, our next guest star chapter is about to begin! As we've established by now, I'm a sick freak who loves breaking the minds of beloved characters, and I'm not about to stop any time soon. But am I the sick one for doing it, or are you the sick ones for reading it?

Oh snap, I just blew your freakin' minds!

Anywho, today's story comes recommended by The Magic Popsicle. I'd like to thank her for not only giving me one, but also for giving me one that's so blissfully short! Especially considering some of the longer ones I'm going to have to go through soon…

Also, for those of you who care, I tried to upload the fic to my DA account, but there's a text limit on that site, so no luck. However, I started providing author's commentary for each of the chapters. So if you're at all curious as to what I have to say in regards to my work, head on over to my journal via my profile page on here.

Now that that's all out of the way…

Showtime!

/

If there was one thing Crona hated about guilt, it was how easily it came to him.

He had done many horrible things in his life, and he was always aware of it. He understood that, despite what others would say, he could never make up for what he'd done. Not fully, anyway. And it was because of that that it became almost too easy for Crona to shoulder the blame for anything that even remotely involved him.

Not that Maka didn't try to make Crona understand that that was a foolish thing to do. He couldn't be responsible for everything that went wrong, that was simply impossible. And to Crona's credit, he was trying to accept that fact. Even if he couldn't make up for his past mistakes, he could at least accept that he wasn't always making new ones.

But, as is often said, old habits die hard. Which would explain Crona's mood as they went to the theater that day.

He was the furthest away from the twin doors, looking at the ground as he hovered near the wall across from them. He would've probably curled up in a corner if he could, but there weren't any nearby. He knew what was about to happen, and as much as he tried to think that it wasn't his fault, he still felt partially guilty.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and knew it was Maka's. He looked up at her and noticed the look of concern on her face. He would always appreciate the fact that Maka would worry about him like she did. But, this one time, he wondered if it was really concern for him that she was showing.

After all, they weren't alone that day.

Standing directly in front of the twin doors were their special guests for the occasion: the blue-haired, ever energetic, not-so-slightly egotistical assassin Black*Star, and his partner, the tall, dark-haired, kind and gentle Tsubaki. And, as expected of the one who claimed he would surpass God, Black*Star wasn't too impressed.

"So we got these fancy-shmancy letters, going on about how we're "invited" to this special theater, and…this is it?" Black*Star asked. "What's so special about this place?"

He then grinned, sticking a thumb at himself. "I guess they figured that such a big man like me would find this place beneath him, so they had to call me out! Right, Tsubaki?"

He waited for an answer. Ten seconds later, he was still waiting.

"…I said, _right_ Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki jumped slightly, looking at Black*Star with a sheepish smile on her face. "Er, r-right! Whatever you say, Black*Star!"

Black*Star frowned, crossing his arms as he looked at Tsubaki. "What's with you, anyway?"

"Well…"

She stole a glance at Maka and Crona before leaning closer to Black*Star. "Doesn't it seem like something's wrong with them? I mean, they've been really quiet since we came here…"

Black*Star looked over at the two of them, then back at Tsubaki, before giving a shrug. "Eh, they're probably just mad that we cut into their "alone time", if you get what I mean…"

"_I heard that, Black*Star_!"

Black*Star flinched, looking back to see a blushing Maka glaring a hole right into him. He gave a slight grin before pointing at the doors.

"Well, anyway, I'm gonna go ahead and grab a seat! So hurry up with whatever you're doing!"

He turned to enter the theater, only to be yanked back by his scarf by a now frantic Maka.

"Whoa, whoa, just a second, Black*Star!"

"ACK! Don't do that, you're choking me!"

She let go of his scarf, only to turn him around and grab him by the shoulders.

"Look, if this is about the joke about you-" Black*Star began, only to be cut off by Maka.

"Can you just listen to me for a second?"

Maka took a second to calm herself down, letting go of Black*Star before continuing.

"Alright…if you're going in there, just go down to the front row and wait for us, OK? We'll be right with you. But whatever you do, _do not open ANY letters_. At all. Alright?"

Black*Star stared at Maka in confusion. "…why?"

"Just do it! Please!"

"…well, since you asked so _nicely_…"

Black*Star then turned again and opened one of the doors. "Tsubaki, you coming?"

Tsubaki blinked. "Oh, uh, right, just a sec!"

That earned an annoyed sigh from Black*Star as he headed into the theater. As the door swung shut, Tsubaki turned to Maka, leaning down slightly.

"Maka, what's the matter…? You look like you're worried about something…"

Maka sighed, placing a hand over her face. "…you'll find out soon enough…"

"What do you mean?"

"Tsubaki…can you please just give us a minute? …please?"

Tsubaki frowned, but gave a slight nod. "OK…but…"

She leaned closer to Maka, whispering in her ear. "You do know that this isn't helping all those rumours flying around about you two, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get that-…wait, what rumours?"

Tsubaki pulled back, an embarrassed smile on her face. "O-Oh…just…one or two stories I might've heard…"

Maka stared at Tsubaki for a moment, before crossing her arms and glaring at her.

"I expect a full list of names by the time this is over."

"…Maka, you're not going to kill anyone, are you?"

"Why? Do I need to?"

Tsubaki sighed, shaking her head as she entered the theater. Maka turned and walked over to a completely lost Crona.

"I-Is everything alright…?" he asked.

"Well…for the time being, anyway…"

She tilted her head as he stood beside Crona. "What about you…?"

Crona simply looked down at his feet, trying to not focus on what was about to happen. It was all the answer Maka needed. She reached over and gently took Crona's face in her hands, moving it so he was looking at her.

"Crona…I know I've said this before, but _this isn't your fault_. You didn't drag them here kicking and screaming or anything. You being here doesn't make this your fault. You have to know that by now, Crona…"

Crona flushed slightly, eyes still looking down. "…I…I do know that, Maka…really, I do…"

He was moving closer to Maka without even realizing it. He felt Maka's hands move to his back, pulling him into a hug. Instinctively, his face leaned against her shoulder.

"…it doesn't make this easier, though…"

Maka squeezed Crona gently. "Yeah…I know…"

After a few seconds, Maka pulled back, a resigned frown on her face.

"Well…guess we better get this over with…"

Crona nodded slightly. "Y-Yeah…"

With that, the two turned and walked through the twin doors, heading down the theater stairs to join Black*Star and Tsubaki.

Said assassin duo were standing in front of the table situated beneath the screen, patiently waiting for their arrival. Or rather, IMpatiently in Black*Star's case.

"Good, took you long enough." he grunted as they came down the stairs. "Can we get this ball rolling already? And don't worry, we didn't go near all the letters or anything."

Maka frowned. "What do you mean by _all_ the _holy freaking crap_!"

Crona peeked over her shoulder to see two rather healthy piles of letters on their seats, just waiting to be opened. Naturally, his thoughts trailed back to his last session with the other two, and he shuddered involuntarily. He would've got to his knees and prayed to not get another letter like that if he thought it would've helped.

There were more important matters to attend to, however, as Crona saw Black*Star snatch up the letter on the table and hold it out to them.

"And why can't I open this one, anyway? It's addressed to me and Tsubaki!"

Sure enough, Crona saw that the letter did have their names on it. Much like the last letter that was specifically addressed to Soul. Maka looked around nervously, rubbing her shoulder while doing so.

"Well…you…it's just…well…"

She turned to look at Crona, almost silently asking for his help. Crona looked back and forth between Maka and Black*Star, trying to think of a solution.

_Maybe…maybe I should just take it…_ Crona thought. _It's going to get read no matter what. …but, then it really will be my fault…_

Apparently, too much time was being wasted on the matter, as Black*Star opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.

"Black*Star, wait-" Tsubaki began.

_The story is called Not so innocent thoughts by Fuzzyfur9._

_The fandom is Soul Eater._

That was all that needed to be said.

Both Maka and Crona dashed forward as Black*Star and Tsubaki gave dual screams of pure, unfiltered horror, falling to their knees as the information about their own fandom entered their minds.

Black*Star fell back on the floor, breathing heavily as Maka leaned over him. Crona tended to Tsubaki, who was shaking like a leaf, face obscured as she stared down at the floor. Crona knelt down near her, not sure of what to do or what to say in order to help.

After all, he was still dealing with the knowledge of his fictional nature himself. Despite Maka and Soul going through the same thing, and just getting back from the same thing happening with the other group, he was still in the dark with how to actually help someone with this.

"Ts-Tsubaki…?" he cautiously asked. He almost asked her to say something, so that he could at least have a hint as to how to help her, but chose not to, worried that that would be asking too much at this point.

And yet, when Tsubaki turned to look at him, he realized that he wasn't even close to prepared.

How could he be, when he saw the tears running down Tsubaki's face?

And before Crona could even begin to think of a way to handle this, Tsubaki was already crying into his shoulder, hands balled into fists and placed on his chest.

…_what am I supposed to do?_ Crona wondered as Tsubaki continued to sob. _I've never dealt with a crying girl before…what should I do?_

He was frozen, not moving an inch in any direction as Tsubaki cried quietly into his robe. He felt his shoulder getting wetter and wetter and inwardly cursed himself for not doing anything. It felt like the answer was right in front of him and he just couldn't see it. It was one of the most frustrating experiences of Crona's life.

Then, only barely realizing what he was doing, he slowly reached behind Tsubaki, resting his hands on her back. He didn't pull her closer, or make any sounds or any other movements, but simply held her, letting her cry.

It should've been obvious. After all, how many times had he cried into Maka's shoulder, only for her to hug him? How many times had he hugged her? Why was this so difficult?

…_it's because it isn't Maka…_ he bitterly thought to himself. _Whenever I try something, Maka's always there…I keep telling myself "it's OK if it's Maka"…why am I so…dependent on her…?_

Before he could do anything else, he heard a sound that would disturb anyone in the given situation: a small yet easily heard laugh.

Crona looked up at Black*Star, who was still laying on the floor. He saw Maka looking down at him in surprise, and felt Tsubaki turn from his shoulder to do the same.

Then Black*Star suddenly jumped up to his feet, hunched over, face obscured.

"…so…this Atsushi Ohkubo…he made me? He made me who I am…? …then he just shot himself in the foot!"

He slowly rose to his full height, still looking down. "Is this supposed to change something? Am I supposed to be different now…? The only thing that's changed is that I know what God I'm going to surpass!"

He raised his head back, shouting skyward. "_You hear that, Ohkubo_? If you created me, then you created a damn monster! I will surpass even you! It doesn't matter if you made me the way I am, this is still who I am! I am me! I am the great Black*Star, the biggest man on stage! And one day, I will be bigger than even you!"

He punctuated his declaration by viciously pointing to the ceiling, head now lowered.

The others stared at him in stunned silence. _…how can he just laugh that off?_ Crona wondered. The closest thing he'd seen happened with the other group not long ago, but he'd never seen someone flat our dare to go against their creator.

He looked down and saw something that surprised him almost as much: Tsubaki watching Black*Star, a small smile on her face. It was then that Crona began to understand Tsubaki a little more. She drew strength from Black*Star, who had tons to spare and was happy to show it. Much like Crona drew strength from Maka.

_I guess we're not so different…_ Crona thought.

He saw Tsubaki slowly pull away from him and he let her go, watching her wipe away her tears. He looked up as Black*Star lowered his hand, his head turning to look at Tsubaki.

"Tsubaki…? Are you alright?"

Tsubaki pulled her hand away, smiling and nodding at Black*Star. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine Black*Star. Really, I'm OK."

Black*Star frowned, unsure if Tsubaki was telling the truth or not. Maka got to her feet, frowning as well.

"Are _you_ alright, Black*Star? That wasn't exactly…expected."

Black*Star turned to Maka. "Of course I'm alright! Every word I said was true! And I won't take any of it back! That's just who I am!"

Maka sighed, shaking her head. "Yep, same as always…"

Crona looked over to see Tsubaki getting to her feet, and decided to do the same. They walked over to their seats, Tsubaki sitting on Crona's right and Black*Star sitting on Maka's left. Crona took to looking over the fanmail while Maka started explaining the situation.

"So…basically, you two are here to help us look over a bad piece of writing."

Black*Star blinked. "…seriously? We had to go through _that_ just to look at a freaking book?"

"Well, it is about us…"

"People are writing about us? About me?"

"Yep."

Black*Star grinned. "Well, it took 'em long enough! I was wondering when someone would finally get to writing about the greatness that is me!"

_This sounds strangely familiar…_ Crona thought.

"Don't get your hopes up, Black*Star." Maka interrupted. "This is a _bad_ story, remember?"

"Oh, come on! How bad could it be?"

Crona shuddered. "You have no idea…"

Black*Star tilted his head in confusion. Maka continued her explanation.

"So, we had to go through…that, just to accept the fact that people have written about us."

"But how did that happen, anyway?" Tsubaki asked.

"In order to come here, our "host" did something to our heads. Whenever we need information on something, it pops up. That includes stuff about us, hence why…that happened when it was mentioned."

Black*Star frowned. "Like what?"

Maka turned to Black*Star, a mischievous grin coming over her face.

"Chapter 6, Page 31, first panel."

Black*Star immediately twitched, his face twisting into one of pure hate.

"_Why'd you have to remind me of HIM_?"

Maka giggled as Black*Star shouted incoherently. Crona smiled slightly at their antics, but that soon disappeared when Tsubaki started talking to him.

"Then…this happened to you guys too?"

Crona sighed. "Y-Yeah…quite a while ago, actually…"

"So…you knew about this…?"

Crona had expected the guilt to return when that subject came up. Somehow, however, Tsubaki's quiet and gentle voice only made it hurt even more.

"We…we can't tell anyone…he made it so we can't tell anyone who isn't involved in this…"

Tsubaki frowned. "I wasn't accusing you of anything, Crona…"

"Hey, wait!" Black*Star interrupted. "Is that why you guys have been hanging out so much lately?"

Maka rubbed the back of her neck. "W-Well…uh…"

"So this is where you guys have been spending your weekends, huh?"

"Something like that…"

Tsubaki leaned over, pointing at the pile of letters currently in Crona's lap. "One more question…what are these?"

Crona blinked. "Oh…um…fanmail."

"You guys get fanmail?" Black*Star asked. "Does that mean I'm going to get fanmail too?"

"Probably not." Maka replied. "One, if you're lucky, this'll just be a one-time thing. Two…it really isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"What? What's wrong with talking to all the people who are smaller than me and adore me for being bigger than them?"

Crona shuddered, managing to get out one word. "F-F-F-Fangirls…"

"…fangirls?"

"They…they ask _things_…personal things…"

Maka frowned. "Crona…did something happen?"

"Why do you think I'm staying far away from the jellybeans…?"

"…remind me to bring a paper shredder next time."

Tsubaki frowned. "…you don't _have_ to answer them, do you?"

Crona gulped. "W-Well…we can't get started until they're gone…so…"

His hands trembling, he decided to open the first of many envelopes addressed to him.

_Has Kidd ever tried to make you symmetrical?_

"…weirdest thing…before he didn't have much of a problem with it, but lately he's been following me around, begging me to get a haircut…"

Maka's hand met her face. _I swear, I am SO going to kill Kid when this is over…_

_Ever heard of deviantart? If not, then you should check it out._

"No, thank you…if this is what people are writing about me, I do not want to know what they're drawing of me…"

_Ever been Maka Chopped?_

Crona rubbed the top of his head. "Once…"

Maka frowned. "You know I was aiming at Ragnarok…I told you I was sorry…"

"I know, it's OK…"

_Who have you talked to more, Kidd or Black Star?_

"Well…Black*Star now, I guess…"

Black*Star tilted his head as Crona opened his next letter. "What, you talked to us both an equal amount of times?"

"I was just guessing…"

_Dont go on DeviantArt...about 95% of the artwork involving you is either of you and kid being romantically involved, you with boobs, or you in a maids outfit. Usually all of the above though._

Crona's head hit his tray. "I just said I didn't want to know…"

_Oh...or you and Ragnarok being romantically involved._

That familiar _splortch_ echoed through the room as Ragnarok uncurled from Crona's back, already screaming in disgust.

"Oh God, _no_! No! I like women! I like boobs! And even if I didn't, why would I be interested in _him_? That's just…that's major-league FUBAR! God, you people are fucked up!"

Maka sighed. "Never thought we'd agree on something, Ragnarok…"

_Have you ever gone star gazing?_

Crona flushed. "N-No…no I haven't…"

_Whats the nicest dream you ever had?_

"…in comparison to what, exactly…?"

_Can you sing?_

"Well, I do sing on here quite a bit…so I guess so…"

_Ever considered getting Ragnarok a shock collar?_

_And a muzzle?_

"Not really…they'd just fall off when he goes back into my body…"

_Have you ever gotten drunk?_

"…aren't I under the legal drinking age?"

Ragnarok snorted. "So? Doesn't stop kids from trying!"

"B-But that doesn't mean _I_ would!"

"That's only because you're a pussy! Now move over so I can read my questions!"

_Whats the weirdest thing youve ever seen Crona do? Something that only you`ve seen._

"Well, there is that one thing…"

Ragnarok then glanced over at Maka, before crossing his arms and grumbling.

"But technically, I'm not allowed to talk about it, under pain of death."

Crona glanced up at Ragnarok in confusion.

_Stop trying to pull up Crona`s robe...it give certain sick people the wrong impression._

"Oh, that is _rich_ coming from you! Hypocrisy, thy name is fangirl!"

_Did it hurt when you were melted down?_

"Wouldn't know. Don't remember it."

_When you eat does it help nourish Crona at all?_

"…take a good look at Crona's skinny-ass body and ask me that again."

_Who is your idol, the one you admire most?_

"Nobody! I don't need to fucking _admire_ someone! Unlike the rest of you poor runts, I'm totally independent!"

Maka looked up at Ragnarok with a raised eyebrow, while Crona opened his next letter.

"…oh shut up! You know what I meant!"

_Do you still think about playing with Maka's hair?_

Crona blushed brightly and chose not to answer.

_Speaking hypothetically, if Kid were chasing after you in Death City with murderous intent, would you fight him, run for help, or what?_

"Run…why wouldn't I?"

_I think the most written fanfictions are SoulxMaka, KidxCrona, and MakaxCrona. What's your view on these pairings?_

Crona's head met his tray as he gave a low groan. Maka growled slightly as she glared up at the screen.

"Do you people _enjoy_ torturing us? I seriously want to know."

_So... Do you know what a faggot is?_

"A derogatory term for homosexuals, mostly used by prejudiced idiots or people trying to be edgy…also a British slang term for cigarettes."

Tsubaki tilted her head. "Wait…why would someone ask you that?"

"Please, please don't ask…" Crona muttered while Ragnarok leaned over to read his questions.

_Tell me a story about something you and Crona did recently._

"I don't like you, so no."

_Do you and Crona ever go to the dentist?_

"Screw that! Those guys are fucking sadists! Not even I would fuck with those guys!"

_Have you met Blair?_

"Of course I met Blair! I have to wake this dumbass up every time we meet her, because he always faints like a little bitch!"

Crona simply sighed in response.

_Your analogies make no sense._

"Your fucking brain doesn't make any sense, you fucking fangirl!"

_If You and Crona went into the book of Eibon Chapter 1, would you turn into a girl or not change at all?_

"Well, unlike _some_ people I know, it's obvious what I am-"

Maka frowned. "Not really."

"_I mean gender-wise_! Anyway, I'm obviously a guy, so yes, I would turn into a girl!"

Ragnarok grumbled as Crona opened his next letter. "Seriously, Eibon can go fuck himself."

Black*Star growled. "Amen, brother."

Maka grit her teeth. "I whole-heartedly agree."

Tsubaki nodded. "Likewise."

Crona twitched. "Definitely."

_(Puts on Freud hat) Do you think your thing for blondes stems from your need for Medusa's love during your childhood that may have been lost on you?_

Crona stared at the letter for a moment, processing the information he was just told. He then hit his head on his tray again, giving another groan.

Maka glared up at Ragnarok. "This is all _your_ fault, you know."

Ragnarok shrugged. "And why exactly should I care, again?"

"I don't want a psychoanalysis…" Crona mumbled. "I really don't…"

_If Maka told you to blow up Shibusen, would you do it?_

"…why would she ask me to do that?"

_Have you thought about doing more 'manly' things so that you can impress people with features like an eyepatch or maybe who have pigtails because screw subtly?_

Before Crona could react, Maka tore the paper out of his hands and started ripping it apart, giving a shout of frustration as she threw the pieces into the air.

"Seriously! _Paper-shredder_!"

Tsubaki gave Maka a concerned look while Crona opened another letter. "So…this happens a lot, I take it?"

"Way too often."

_Do you like sitcoms?_

"I don't really watch those…"

_Have you ever been sunburnt?_

"A few times…but I guess that's the downside to being pale…burning easily."

_Do you have neat handwriting?_

"No…I'm still working on that…"

_Can you play an instrument? If not, would like to?_

"…I never really thought about it…"

Maka smiled. "It'd be something worth trying, at least. I'd probably try one, except I have almost no musical knowledge whatsoever."

"…then how can we sing during the reviews?"

"…good question."

_Warm of cool weather?_

"I actually like it when it's cooler out…"

_Do you like rain?_

"Yeah…it's nice to listen to…"

Crona placed the letter aside and opened his next one.

_Do you spell your name with an h?_

"No…I don't get why other people do, considering Ohkubo even said it went without one…"

Maka sighed as Crona opened his last letter. "I think that's the last thing you should worry about our fans ignoring…"

"Yeah, that's probably true…"

_Whats your favorite part of the Manga?_

"…secret."

_Do you know about the Japanese lore about The Red String of Fate?_

"Not really…why?"

Maka sighed, covering her face to hide her blush. "I'll explain later…"

Crona gave a confused look in Maka's direction, and his confusion grew when he saw Black*Star trying to hide a grin, and Tsubaki looking away from him.

_Whats your favorite mythical creature?_

Ragnarok leaned over, grinning. "Take a wild fucking guess."

_Ain't really a question but I saw a picture of Stein in your dress. Your reaction?_

Crona sighed, dropping the letter and covering his face with his hands. "Whyyyyyy…"

Maka reached over and patted Crona's back, holding up one of her own letters. "Now do you two see what I meant?"

"Sorry, can't talk, trying to get dress-wearing Stein out of my mind." Black*Star replied.

"L-Likewise…" Tsubaki added.

_What type of T.V. shows do you watch?_

"Eh, usually nature shows. I don't watch much TV."

_Do you have any artistic skill (as in drawing and painting)_

"None whatsoever."

_( Ain't really a question)Kinda creepy, but did you know there is a fanclub of you and Asura as a pairing._

"Oh for…a _fanclub_? Really, people?"

_Whos the stupidest person you've ever met?_

"Considering I have a long and constantly-changing list, I can't answer that right now."

Maka tossed the letter aside and opened her next one.

_Have you ever worn that gift your papa gave you after the test?_

"Oh gee, let me think for a sec-_NO_! Never! In fact, I burned the damn thing as soon as I got over the shock!"

_I know you guys didnt like some of the kinks of the animes ending, but arent you at least happy that both you, crona, and everyone else just about, had a happy ending? I mean...i feel bad for darkening the atmosphere with this one...but things arent looking too bright so far in the manga. I do hope it improves though._

Maka and Crona both looked at each other for a moment, before giving dual sighs.

"I think it's safe to say we don't want to think about that right now…" Maka answered.

"Y-Yeah…" Crona added.

_Don`t you think its kind of sad Crona doesnt know his own birthday?_

Maka's only reply was to reach over and give Crona another hug, which caused Crona to blush slightly.

"Wait…" Tsubaki interjected. "Crona…you don't know when your birthday is?"

"N-No…" he replied. "She…she never told me…"

To Crona's surprise, Tsubaki reached over and hugged him as well, giving a small "aww" while saying "That's so sad…"

"Don't worry." Maka added. "I'll think of something."

Crona looked between the two of them, face getting redder by the minute. He then noticed Black*Star leaning over, a grin of approval on his face.

"Wow…I'm actually impressed, Crona." he said, giving Crona a thumbs-up. "Good job!"

Crona had absolutely no idea what Black*Star was talking about. He also had no clue as to why both Maka and Tsubaki chose right then to give Black*Star what were clearly deathglares.

_Whats your favorite mythical being?_

"Well, how am I supposed to answer that? What really constitutes a "mythical being"? A god? A goddess? Some legendary hero? A weird monster? A little clarification would be nice."

_Do you like having your hair played with?_

Maka growled in frustration. "_Would you people get off that subject_?"

_How do you feel about Blair really? I get mixed feelings from you._

Maka sighed. "Honestly? She gets on my nerves a lot, but she's not that bad a person…cat…whatever."

_Do you cry much during movies?_

"No, and I'm pretty sure I was asked this already."

_Have you ever hung out with any of the Not Students at Shibusen? Particulary ones by the name of Tsugumi, Anya, Meme, or even one named Shaula?_

Maka sighed. "No, and I _should_. But I've been so busy lately with missions and…this…"

_Have you ever had a crush on anyone?_

Maka furiously ripped up her letter. "That is none of your business!"

Black*Star sighed, shaking his head as Maka got to her next letter. "Honestly, you guys are totally overreacting. If I was being asked questions like that, I'd answer them no problem!"

"OK, Black*Star, do _you_ have a crush on anyone?"

"I'll tell you when I feel like it."

"…that's what I figured."

_Are you faster than Crona?_

"…I don't know…usually?"

Crona blinked. _Usually?_

_Could you beat Crona in a fight without weapons or Ragnarok helping?_

"…why are you asking me something like that? Why would I _want_ to fight him?"

_She could easily._ Crona thought.

_Do you like fire or water more?_

"…what the hell kind of question is that?"

Maka sighed as she tossed her letter aside and grabbed another. "I would honestly like to know what our host was smoking when he thought this was a good idea."

Black*Star shook his head again. "Oh, Maka, you just can't handle being big. When you're bigger than other people, you have to acknowledge them every once in a while so they don't feel miserable."

"…you say that like I don't _want_ to make these people miserable."

_Would it comfort you to know that the Soul Eater fandom has not degenerated into such madness that it remains somewhat pure of MedusaxCrona?_

"…small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless."

_Although the kink meme apparently is different._

"…the what?"

Crona curled up in his chair, shivering while rocking back and forth. "I don't want to know, I don't want to know, _I do not want to know_."

_Hypothetically, if you were forced to choose between Soul and Crona who would you let die?_

"…_what the hell is wrong with you_? Why would you ask me something like that? That's sick! That's absolutely terrible!"

Maka threw the letter to the ground, getting to her feet. "Seriously, do you people get off on this? Is that why you're doing this to us? You are some of the most depraved people I have ever had the displeasure to talk to, and I would be much happier listening to my father go on about _anything_ for more than ten minutes than have to talk to any of you!"

She fell back in her seat, face falling into her hands as she let out a low groan of disgust. Crona cautiously moved to comfort her, but was stopped when she held up one of her hands.

"Just…just give me a minute, OK Crona?"

"O-OK…"

Crona could hear Maka taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. After a few minutes, she sat back up, took a very deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and let it out.

"OK…I'm calm now…sorry about that, guys."

Crona shook his head. "I-It's OK…"

Maka grabbed her next letter and opened it. "Let's just finish these so we can get out of here faster."

_The Island Game! If Maka HAD to be on a Island who would she pick?_

Maka calmly tore the letter apart. "Rejected on account of the fact that I _hate_ the island game."

Crona tilted his head as Maka got to her next letter. "Island game?"

"Please don't ask."

_Do you have any food allergies?_

"No, I've been lucky enough to go without."

_Have you ever had a pet?_

"Besides Blair, no."

_Do you cook French Toast often?_

"Eh, not really. Soul has a thing against eggs, so I don't make it that much."

_Do you have a favorite scent? Like vanilla or lavender?_

"Well, I don't really have a favourite, but out of the two you mentioned, I do like vanilla."

_Do you read magazines?_

"Ultimate bookworm, remember? Though, to be fair, I don't read many of them."

_Do you like board games?_

"Sure, on a rainy day with not much else to do."

Tsubaki tilted her head as Maka opened her last letter. "Those weren't so bad…"

"Yeah…if only they could all be like that."

_Ever broken a bone?_

"Well, there was that one mission in Madrid that ended with me with a broken leg…not fun."

_Do you play any type of video games?_

"I think we established already that no, I don't."

_Have you ever thought of writing a book?_

"…the thought did cross my mind more than once. I just have no idea what I'd write about."

_You were freakin awesome when you got taken over by the black blood, me and my friend were laughing the whole time, but then the moment when you hurt yourself to comfort Crona made us shut up. You really are a good friend, both me and my amigo agree with that :) Hope you two are friends forever! XD_

Maka looked at the letter for a moment, before sighing and tossing it aside. "Well, to answer your rather roundabout question…"

She then wrapped an arm around Crona's shoulders, pulling him closer. "You better believe we will be."

Crona blushed heavily at that comment, and Tsubaki's small "aww" only made his face even redder. Thankfully, the lights went down right then for the story to begin.

Once he was sure the others couldn't see, he reached up and grabbed Maka's hand, giving it a small squeeze. He smiled when he felt Maka return the gesture, the message very clear to him.

_We definitely will be_.

/

**wow, the shortest fanfic i ever done...new record ^w^**

Maka: Thank God for that.

Black*Star: You're welcome.

Crona: Wait…what's that weird thing at the end?

Maka: It's an emoticon. It's supposed to show someone's face. It'd be better if you just ignored it.

**...anyways if you read the manga you'll know what this is about ;)**

Tsubaki: That could cover pretty much anything.

Crona: Is that another one? …what's it doing?

Maka: Turn your head to the side.

Crona: *tilts head* Like this?

Maka: Other side.

Crona: *tilts* …oh. …why is it _winking_ at me?

Maka: I have no clue.

**fanfic inspire by Burgerlicious in both here and deviant art...**

Maka: Oh, that's certainly reassuring…

**yes Tsubaki face was priceless hehehehe..so check it out if you want.**

Tsubaki: …me? Why me?

Maka: …there it is again.

Crona: That bad sense of forboding…?

Maka: Yeeeeeep.

**oh yeah**

_**'this is pervy Tsuabki voice'**_

_**'this is normal tsubaki'**_

_**enjoy**_

Black*Star: …"pervy Tsubaki"?

Tsubaki: *places face in hands* Oh nooooooo…

**A raven hair girl enter her apartment building in a hurry.**

Black*Star: …but Tsubaki doesn't have a bird growing out of her head!

Maka: It's a shade of black, Black*Star.

Black*Star: I know, I was joking! Wasn't it hilarious?

Maka: …hysterical.

Crona: …oddly enough, I'm picturing an entirely different hairstyle…

(elsewhere, a certain teenage superheroine sneezes. And then wonders why this has been happening so often lately)

**She started muttering herself trying to remember where she left the book that she borrow from Liz. Scratch that, the books from both Maka and Liz.**

Tsubaki: Oh! That reminds me, did I give you back your copy of that collection of ghost stories, Maka?

Maka: You're going to have to specify, Tsubaki. That's a fair few of my books.

**As she went to her room number and tried to look around. Seeing it wasn't where she left it, she remember it was inside her shared bedroom. She pray hoping it was there. As she was about to open she heard someone was inside. She wonder if her meister was back early from the game or forgot something too. Maybe he could help her out too then it will be a win win.**

Crona: …I guess this person doesn't know what a "win-win" actually is.

**"Hey, Black Sta….a..a" she didn't got to finish cause what she saw making her eyes wide.**

Tsubaki: He's probably wearing Soul's shirt again…

Black*Star: Oh come on, it was one time! Just the one time because I accidentally grabbed the wrong thing and-Maka, what's so funny?

Maka: *holding in laughter* Nothing! Nothing at all!

**Oh she wasn't wrong when she thought of her meister, what her eyes went wide was cause her meister only had a towel wrap around his waist and bits of water on his tan body. She guess he finish taking a bath or something.**

Tsubaki: *face in hands again* No no nooooooo…

Black*Star: What's the big deal? Look, if you want to stare at my glorious body, I don't see a prob-

*MAKA CHOP!*

**'**_**oh yeah baby take it off!'**_** said a little voice in her head.**

**'**_**WHAT? NO, NO, NO WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!**_**' Tsubaki thought desperately.**

Tsubaki: …I do not have another voice in my head! I'm not crazy! I'm really not!

Maka: Why do I get the feeling this was supposed to be a comedy?

Crona: But it isn't funny…

Maka: I said "supposed to be".

**It seems that her meister could read evil thoughts cause that what he did. He took the towel off slowly as if he was doing some kind of movie.**

Maka: …what the hell, Black*Star?

Black*Star: Aw, come on! I know what my fans want!

**She kept staring at the tanness of the boy.**

**'**_**oh god it's a perfect size too! It's roundness and perky…"**_

All except Black*Star: AGH!

Tsubaki: Oh God no no no I am not talking about _that_!

Maka: _What the hell, author_?

"_**shut up!"**_ **she scream to the pervert side.**

**'**_**but…he's beautiful! Do him now please!"**_** the voice pled making her extremely red.**

Tsubaki: I hate that book so much right now…

Maka: Look, we all had our sexes swapped around which sent our hormones completely out of wack! We had a lot to deal with, so just because it took so long for Tsubaki to change back doesn't mean anything about who she is!

Black*Star: Yeah! I mean, even _you_ got a nosebleed when the succubus showed up!

Maka: _Black*Star_!

Black*Star: What? I'm agreeing with you!

Crona: …I never thought I'd be _thankful_ that I missed out on something with you guys…

**As she kept staring at her meister she felt her cheeks heating up and some sort of substance coming out of her nose. She saw his well build shoulder and back going down to his perfect size butt then to his legs.**

Crona: …oh, that's what the author meant.

Tsubaki: That's not much better…

**'god this is torture! Spank it! Spank that perfect round tan ass of a god, Tsubaki!' yelled the voice.**

Black*Star: Ahem! "The perfect round tan ass that _surpasses_ a god"!

Maka: Dammit author, you see what you're doing? You're inflating Black*Star's ego even more than it already is! I'm going to have to deal with this, you know!

**She went into a major breakdown sense image of her spanking her meister on his behind. Him gripping on the bed and his face all red and…and…**

**"oh god!" she mutter.**

Tsubaki: *embarrassed groan*

Black*Star: …damn.

**The blue haired teen just finish taking a bath and was going to change before he went with the guys to the movie. As he place his underwear on he felt someone eyeing him. He turn around seeing he was right. He blink seeing his weapon looking at him with weird eyes.**

Crona: …wait, he didn't see her at all? Does this Black*Star need glasses?

**"Hey, Tsubaki!" Black Star said "Hey"**

**"Hm..oh….yeah?" she ask.**

**"A-are you alright? You face is red and your bleeding from you're nose." The blue head assassin said.**

Maka: …really? You really can't put two and two together?

Black*Star: Aw, come on, I could totally see that! Wouldn't be the first time a girl went nuts over me!

Maka: I seriously doubt that…

**"**_**awwwww he cares for us! Look at his adorable yet sexy face!"**_** the voice sequel if possible.**

Crona: …"sequel if possible"? So…there's another voice?

Tsubaki: Why do I have voices in my head? That's not funny, that's scary!

**'**_**s-shut up!'**_** she snapped in her mind then replay to her mister**

Crona: "Replay to her mister"? …I can't even think of a way to use that.

**"N-No no-nothings wrong Bl-black Star, hehehe"**

**She saw him rise a brow at him who was still unsure.**

**"You sure, your acting strange." He said tilting his head.**

**'**_**of course cause it's you and me in bed now baby!**_**' scream the voice **_**"Damn it Tsubaki! Get him in bed and do it! We were train! Look at his smoking sexy ass! No wait he is sexy as hell! You're torture us by not at least kissing those lips of his! You know full well he kiss like a god!"**_

Black*Star: …"kiss like someone who surpassed-"

Maka: Black*Star, _you are not helping_!

**Tsubaki try her best to not argue with herself until a certain thing happen. She place her lips into a weird smile like Kid does when there's something asymmetrical and her eyes where still wide but had a strange look on them.**

Tsubaki: …oh, great, now I've completely snapped. I don't even want to think about what happens next.

**She imagine touching his hard well shape biceps going to his abs. She then smirk wide seeing her squeeze his butt making a cute sequel and moan from him. Then….**

Tsubaki: …I just said I didn't want to think about it!

**"OH MY GOD STOP DREAMING AND START DOING! YOU TAKE THOSE UNDERWEAR OFF TO SHOW OFF THE SEXYNESS FOOL!" She scream to herself then again "WAIT NO! STOP THINKING OF HIS DAMN SEXYNESS! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! I DON'T CARE IF HE'S SEXY AND AS A PERFECT SOMETHING! GAHHH THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPING TO ME!"**

Tsubaki: No, it shouldn't!

Black*Star: Oh for…Tsubaki, I wouldn't care if you peeped on me! Hell, I peep on you all the time, so-

Maka: _You WHAT_?

Black*Star: Uh…I meant…well, just…Crona, help!

Crona: Huh? Wha?

Maka: Crona, you stay in that seat, _or you're next_!

Crona: *squeaks* Y-Yes ma'am!

Black*Star: Traitor!

*MAKA CHOP!*

**Black Star eyes widen in surprise and his face had red all over it.**

**'**_**oh my god! His cuteness sexy face looks adorable!"**_** squeal the voice making Tsubaki agree only to realize she just scream something out loud.**

Crona: …my head's starting to hurt from all the misused grammar in this fic…

**"HM…er…w-well I h-have to do this t-thing a-and.." without even finishing she ran out of the room covering her mouth with still blood coming out of her nose.**

**Black Star blink not knowing what just happen. He then shrug and went on putting his cloth and head out with the guys.**

Maka: *facepalm* There's being oblivious, and then there's just being stupid…take a wild guess which one this is…

**Later that day, Tsubaki try to be more careful where she was with her meister and limit her…hm…addiction that's _.**

Crona: …what in the world…?

Maka: …I have absolutely no clue.

**IN the middle of a basketball game Black Star grin knowing he was just call sexy and some other crap making his ego even larger.**

Maka: And we get to suffer for it. Did I mention that I _really_ hate you right now?

/

The lights slowly came back on as three heads turned to look at Tsubaki. She didn't notice, as her face was in her hands once again, moaning softly in frustration and embarrassment.

Both Maka and Crona looked at one another, the both of them trying to come up with a way to help Tsubaki feel better. Before either of them could act, however, they heard Black*Star get to his feet, and watched as he walked over to Tsubaki's seat.

He leaned down and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.

"Tsubaki, listen…" he began. "I don't know everything about you. I could probably find out with this…thing that was put in my head, or whatever, but I'm not about to. Truth is, I'm not worried about it. Maybe you're really a closet pervert, and maybe you're not. It doesn't matter."

He flashed one of his wide, confident grins at her. "No matter what, you're still my partner. You're still my friend."

Tsubaki gazed up at Black*Star, eyes wide in surprise. "Black*Star…"

She was then suddenly pulled up out of her seat by him, blinking in confusion as he stood in front of her, arms crossed.

"Now, I know exactly what will cheer you up."

He looked at Maka and Crona. "You guys stand up too, I'll need your help with this."

The two of them looked at him confusedly, but did as he asked. Black*Star stood still, waiting patiently as the other three all stared at him, wondering what his little plan was.

He then flashed another grin, giving them their answer.

"Group hug on Tsubaki!"

Tsubaki only managed to get out a "wait, wha-" before Black*Star wrapped his arms around her, practically squeezing the life out of her, all while keeping that grin on his face.

Maka stared at the two of them for a moment, before sighing and shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, why not?"

She then moved closer and hugged Tsubaki as well, causing her to look down at her in surprise.

"M-Maka?"

"Hey, apparently, these work wonders. Might as well give it a try."

"But…guys, I'm not _that_ upset…"

Maka ignored her, turning to look at Crona and waving him over. "C'mon, Crona, it's your turn!"

Crona flushed, holding up his hands in front of him. "B-But I don't how to deal with group hu-GACK!"

He was cut off when Maka reached over and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him over and practically pushing him into Tsubaki. Almost instinctively, he had his arms around her as well. He quickly looked away from her when she looked down at him, trying to hide his blush.

After a few moments of the four of them huddled together like that, Black*Star let go of her, grinning up at her again. Maka soon did the same, and Crona quickly followed suit, still blushing.

"See?" Black*Star said. "Don't you feel better thanks to my amazing plan?"

Tsubaki sighed before giving him a small smile. "Yes, I do. Thank you guys…"

"Great!" Black*Star boasted, before turning to the stairs and starting to climb them. "Then we can start moving past this! We better get back to work, now that we know who the God we have to surpass is!"

Maka sighed, following Black*Star up the stairs. "Can't you take a break from that, Black*Star? Considering what you just went through-"

"Of course not! This is only incentive to work that much harder!"

"You can't really think that you'll-"

The two of them continued to go back and forth as they ascended the stairs, stopping at the top in front of the doors. Crona gave a small sigh and moved towards the stairs.

"Hey."

He stopped, turning and looking back at Tsubaki. She moved beside him, giving an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about earlier…"

Crona blinked in surprise. "N-No, that's OK…I should be sorry for not helping sooner…"

He frowned, looking down at his feet. "I just…didn't know how to…"

Tsubaki moved closer, leaning over to get a better look at Crona's face.

"But you did help me, Crona…you were there when I needed someone to be…"

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her. "Thank you for that…for being a true friend."

Crona flushed heavily at the compliment, looking back down at the ground, trying to hide the smile on his face.

"Y-Y-You're welcome…"

Tsubaki smiled again, moving her hand away and placing it behind her back.

"…you know…you've changed, Crona."

Crona looked up in surprise.

"In a good way, I mean." Tsubaki continued. "You don't seem as scared as much as you used to be…you're not a completely different person or anything, but…you seem a little more confident."

Crona was a bit taken aback by that. _…am I really? I don't feel any different…_

"Maka's really rubbed off on you, hasn't she?"

Crona blushed heavily. "W-Wh-What do you mean…?"

Tsubaki smiled her usual small, gentle smile. "I mean that you're taking after her a bit…confidence-wise, anyway. It's like she's the source of your strength."

She looked away from Crona, eyes aimed at the top of the theater. "It's good to have someone like that…someone that can help you grow stronger…"

Crona followed Tsubaki's gaze up the stairs, his eyes landing on the two bickering meisters at the top. He stole a glance at Tsubaki and was fairly certain she was watching Black*Star.

His eyes moved to Maka. The same confident, courageous Maka that he knew all too well. The same one he would follow wherever she went, even into mortal peril. The same Maka that made him feel like he could take on the world if she told him he could.

…_I guess we really aren't all that different…_ Crona thought.

"Y-Yeah…it is, isn't it?" he said aloud.

He turned to look at Tsubaki, and saw her looking back at him. They shared a small smile, then started heading up the stairs to join their friends.

_Don't worry, Maka._ Crona promised silently. _One day…one day I'll be strong enough…so that you don't have to worry about me depending on you all the time…_

/

And we are done! Sorry if it was too short, but at least I had this done right away!

Also, since I didn't get to it above, I'm glad that people liked the little aside chapter so much! I'll definitely write more in the future, though I don't see myself writing that level of crack again any time soon.

As always, questions and suggestions are welcomed. Or, if you just want to say something to the cast, go ahead! But remember the rule from the last review.

'Till next time!


	11. Drink

So, thanks to the warm reception the last aside chapter got, I decided to write up another one! Don't worry, this won't be anywhere _near_ as cracky as that one. It's more fluffy than anything else.

WARNING: The following contains underage drinking. This fanfic does not promote the usage of alcohol by minors. Follow your respective area's drinking laws to the letter, and do not do what happens in the following chapter. Alcohol is bad, m'kay?

Awaaaaaaaay we go!

/

_How do I keep winding up in these situations?_ Crona wondered as he scanned the crowd.

It was just supposed to be another get-together at Kid's place. Just the group hanging out at the impossibly large mansion that was Kid's anything-but-humble abode. But word got out about Kid having people over, and somehow it turned into another, much bigger party. (Crona suspected one of the Thompsons was responsible, for one reason or another.) Which seemed to happen with alarming frequency as of late.

_If that's the downside to having a big mansion, maybe it's a good thing I live in a small room…_ Crona thought.

Of course, now that the supposed small get-together had turned into a full-out party, the group was expected to wear more _formal_ attire. Which included Crona.

He looked down at his clothes, still marveling at just how much effort had to be put into getting them just right. Never mind the black jacket over the white shirt that made the suit, or the agonizingly long time it took just to tie the damn tie. No, what was still taking a lot of getting used to for Crona was that he was actually wearing _pants_. Nice leather pants, true, but still pants.

_Why do so many people worry about clothes, anyway?_ Crona wondered. He was still amazed at how much the suit actually cost, and when he found out how much it cost to actually make, he honestly thought the world had gone crazy and forgot to tell him. Not to mention all the ironing and preparation and fixing and adjusting to make it all look just right.

Granted, Maka absolutely loved it when she first saw it, which made it all worthwhile for Crona.

Thinking about Maka brought Crona back to reality. He wasn't entirely sure how, but Maka had pretty much vanished from his sight. Despite separating from her and hanging around near a wall while she went and mingled, he was still able to see where she was and what she was doing. It helped that she was wearing that red dress of hers that he just couldn't stop looking at-

Crona shook his head. _No, don't start thinking about that._ he ordered himself. _Focus. Find her._

He reluctantly moved away from the wall and cautiously started moving through the crowd. His eyes scanned the various participants, searching for that one girl out of who knew how many, all while Crona tried to keep calm.

_It's a big place…not all that hard to get lost-wait, was that her? No, hair's too short. Maybe she just wandered off somewhere…with someone…? No, that can't be-was that her? No, dress is different. …but what's stopping her? Why wouldn't she be with someone else? After all, Soul is-hang on, was that-…no, too tall. …what if she's in trouble? What if someone kidnapped her, or she fell off a balcony, or-there she is! No, different shade of blonde…_

His wandering had brought him to the snack table, his mind no more calm than it was before. He let out a small sigh, not only because he couldn't find her, but because he knew exactly what was about to happen.

_Any second now…_

Sure enough, that familiar _splortch_ echoed out as Ragnarok crawled out of Crona's back, letting out a small growl as he perched over Crona's head.

"Gah, do you have any idea how annoying it is to go through two layers of clothing?" he grumbled.

_Two layers?_ Crona wondered. Then he let out a small moan. "Oh no, you stained the shirt, didn't you…?"

"Well, duh! I told you not to wear white, but did you listen? Of fucking course not! Now shut up and move closer so I can get some eats!"

Crona sighed, moving closer to the table so Ragnarok could reach the food. Naturally, he began digging in as quickly as possible, grabbing handfuls of hors d'oeuvres and shoveling them down.

"Don't eat too much…" Crona muttered. "We should leave some for everyone else…"

"Mmu mms m mmng mmk!"

"…what?"

Ragnarok swallowed the food in his mouth, letting out a loud exhale before repeating himself.

"I said, who gives a flying fuck? You think I'm going to miss out on eating some of this high-class shit? Fuck that!"

Ragnarok turned to look at the table. "I mean, look at this spread! When was the last time we actually ate anything this fancy?"

"The last time _you_ ate anything this fancy, you mean…"

"Well, what's stopping you?"

"Maybe because you're eating pretty much everything…"

"Well, try moving faster, dumbass!"

Crona sighed as Ragnarok resumed stuffing his face, gleefully chuckling while doing so. _Won't be much longer…he'll eat his fill and go away before anyone-_

"Crona? Is that you?"

Crona twitched, turning to the source of the voice. He paled slightly when he saw another mass of pink hair coming towards him.

"Ragnarok…" he muttered, poking the top of his head. "Ragnarok, please go now…"

"Mm mmkng mmy!"

"R-Ragnarok, I can't understand you when your mouth is full! Y-You have to go before someone-"

"So it _is_ you!"

Crona gave a slight whimper, turning again to look at the one talking to him. He shivered as he saw Kim watching him attempt to get Ragnarok's attention, while the black beast continued to shovel food into his mouth.

…_just great…_ Crona bitterly thought.

"…gotta say, I wasn't expecting to run into you here." Kim quipped, eyebrow raised as Ragnarok turned to look at her, cheeks puffed out from all the food.

"Uh, y-yeah…" Crona stuttered, hands moving away from Ragnarok. "I-It's more for Ragnarok than anything else…"

He heard Ragnarok give a loud gulp before he leaned over his shoulder. "The fuck are you talking about? This was all because-"

Crona quickly grabbed a plate and started piling food onto it, before passing it to Ragnarok. "H-Here! You haven't tried the garlic shrimp yet, r-right?"

Ragnarok blinked, but made no comments, grabbing the plate and pouring its contents into his mouth. Crona looked back at Kim, smiling sheepishly.

"S-Sorry about him…"

Kim tilted her head. "…he seems like a handful."

"Y-Yeah…he's not so bad once you get used to him…"

Crona's hand found its way to his arm, as it usually did, and the two of them stared at one another, silence falling between them.

…_I don't think I like dealing with awkward silence…_ Crona thought.

"So…" Kim started, giving Crona a bright smile. "What's up?"

"Uh…n-not much…h-how about you?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old."

"Y-Yeah…"

Crona groaned inwardly as the silence returned with a vengeance.

…_I should just go…I need to find Maka anyway-_

"Hey…" Kim started again, face now concerned. "I saw you standing over here, looking kind of lost. Everything OK? You looking for someone?"

Crona blinked in surprise. _How did she…? Oh, who cares, she can help!_

"A-Actually, yes…you haven't seen Maka around, have you?"

Kim frowned, placing a finger on her cheek in thought. "Well…I was talking to her earlier…but that was about five, maybe ten minutes ago. I don't know where she is now."

Crona gave a small sigh. "Oh…"

And once again, the silence returned.

_Does this happen with everyone else, or is it just me?_ Crona wondered.

He then noticed something rather odd. For some strange reason, Kim's eyes kept flicking upwards, towards Crona's hair. He instinctively reached up and placed a hand on his head.

"W-What is it? Is there something on my head?"

Kim blinked, quickly shaking her head. "Oh, no! I-I was just…um, never mind."

Crona blinked in confusion as Kim turned to look at the crowd. _What was that about…?_ he wondered.

He then gave another inward groan as he realized that the awkward silence just refused to go away.

_There has to be some way to make this stop! …maybe I should ask her something…_

"S-So…h-how have things been going with you and Ox…?"

_Considering that's the only thing I know about you…_ Crona thought.

"Oh, it's been pretty good." Kim replied. "I usually have to get him to slow the hell down, because he keeps going on about how we should get our own song, our own restaurant, our own "special place"…I mean, it's sweet and all, but he really needs to cool down sometimes, you know?"

Crona nodded. "Y-Yeah…"

"And this is our first relationship, and he's going on about how we were destined to be together and all!" Kim continued. "I mean, I don't mind when a guy gets all romantic, but he needs to start thinking a little more realistically! Why does he think I kept bugging him about getting some money?"

Kim gave a small sigh, before smiling at Crona again.

"How about you? How are things with you and Maka?"

"O-Oh, it's alright-…wait." Crona's face froze. "…what do you mean by that?"

Kim blinked. "Aren't you-" She then stopped herself, a hand moving up to her mouth in surprise. "Oh! W-Well, I just…I mean, I thought that…"

She quickly turned and started walking back to the crowd. "Uh, speaking of Ox, I should probably go find him, just so he doesn't get too worried about me! Good luck with finding Maka!"

She then dashed back into the crowd before Crona could protest, leaving him utterly lost as to just what was going on. Before he could start trying to figure it out, though, he heard a loud belch and turned to look at Ragnarok.

"You two done with your girly talk yet?" Ragnarok asked.

"I-It wasn't girly talk…and are you done eating?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm done already." Ragnarok grumbled. "So now I'll go back so I don't _embarrass_ you anymore. Fucking ingrate, I swear…"

"S-Sorry…could you go slow…? So you absorb the blood back…?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…"

Crona waited patiently as he felt Ragnarok slowly return to his body, a low gurgling noise emanating as he did so. Once he was completely gone, Crona reached back and patted his back, feeling for any wet spots. He gave a small sigh of relief when he found none.

_That's one crisis averted…_ Crona thought. He then looked back at the table, frowning at the mess Ragnarok made. He was about go back and start looking for Maka again, when a thought occurred to him.

…_Maka won't be very happy if she finds out I didn't have anything…I should at least have something to drink…_

He moved over to the punch bowl, grabbing a glass on the way. He reached for the ladle, about to pour some into his glass, when something caught his eye.

…_wasn't the punch a lighter colour before?_ he wondered, thinking back to earlier when he passed by it at Kid's insistence. _And I don't remember there being this much…did Kid refill them?_

He cautiously leaned over the bowl, only to recoil back, quickly pinching his nose in disgust. "Ugh!"

_And it stinks too!_ he thought, moving his hand away but keeping his nose wrinkled. _Did it go bad or something? …can punch go bad?_

He put his glass back down, already deciding he wasn't going to have any. _Maybe I can just get some water from the kitchens or something…later, I have to find-_

He was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by something covering his eyes, instantly putting him in a panic.

"W-What? What's going-"

"Guess whoooo?"

Crona gave a long sigh of relief as he recognized the voice. _Thank God…there she is…_

"H-Hi Maka…"

"Oooh! You're good at this game."

Her hands moved away from his eyes, giving him the chance to turn and look at the one he was so worried about.

What he saw made him worried all over again.

It wasn't that her hair was down that bothered him. Or that she had a big goofy smile on her face. What was more than a bit worrying was that her eyes were only half-open, and from what Crona could see, they had a rather glazed-over look about them. Not only that, but her cheeks seemed a little flushed too.

She leaned forward, smile growing wider. "Hiiiiiiiii there, you."

Crona blinked. "M-Maka? A-Are you OK…?"

He jumped slightly in surprise as Maka suddenly wrapped her arms around him, leaning against his chest. "Of course I am, silly! I'm perfectly fine!"

She looked up at him, pulling away from his chest. "Why? Don't I look fine?"

Crona flushed brightly. "U-Uh…y-yeah, of course…"

Maka giggled, wobbling a little at the same time. "Then why'd you ask? If I'm fine, why ask if I'm OK?"

Crona blinked. "W-Well…you just seem a little more…"

Maka leaned forward, staring into Crona's eyes. "A little more whaaaaaaaat?"

"Uh…giggly? Than usual…?"

Maka, naturally, giggled in response, letting out a small hiccup as well. "Well, isn't that a goooood thing? If I'm giggly, that must mean I'm happy! And I do feeeel happy. Or maybe I'm just feeling gooooood. I don't really know."

She stumbled back slightly, before leaning on Crona's chest again. "Well? Don't you think giggly's a good thing?"

Crona wondered if his face could feel any hotter. "Uh…y-yeah…giggly's good…"

Maka giggled again, pulling back again to look at Crona. She then let go of him, hands reaching up to his face.

_What is she doing…?_ Crona wondered for a second, before he got his answer.

He winced as he felt Maka pinch his cheeks, giggling all the while.

"It is sooooo easy to make you blush, Crona…"

Crona blinked in confusion. "E-Eh?"

"Whaaaaaaat? It's true! You blush really easily. It's cute." Maka responded, smile still on her face.

She let go of Crona's cheeks, which were redder than ever. Not entirely because of the pinching, however.

…_did she…did she really just…_ Crona frantically wondered, entire body frozen stiff even with Maka wobbling around. _…no, she called something I do cute, not me…but it's my face, so…_

He was brought out of his thoughts by Maka suddenly falling forward, causing him to stumble a bit as he caught her. He carefully helped her up to her full height, surprised that she was still giggling.

"Sorry…" she said while looking up at him. "I tripped."

"I-It's OK…" Crona replied.

_OK, something is definitely wrong here…_ Crona thought. _She's falling everywhere, she's acting really weird, she keeps laughing…not that that's normally a problem, but-_

He then froze, another realization coming over him.

_Wait…giggling all the time…stumbling everywhere…that's the same as being wobbly…_

He let out a small gasp. _Wobbly giggles…_

His skin paled considerably while his pupils shrank. _Oh no…oh no no no no NO!_

He focused all his efforts on not hyperventilating, while Maka leaned against him, head on his shoulder. _OK, Crona, don't panic…she hasn't started attacking anyone, so it's not a problem yet…wait, what about Soul?_

He frantically looked around, trying to find some sign of Soul in the crowd. He only got even more worried when he found nothing.

_Why can't I see him? How can it be so hard to find the guy with white hair?_ he wondered.

He then carefully moved towards the wall, gently pulling Maka along with him, who had since pulled away from him again and resumed wobbling. He gently maneuvered her over to a seat, carefully pulling her towards it and helping her sit down.

"But I don't wanna sit down…" Maka said, pouting while doing so.

_OK, do not think about how cute she is when she pouts…I just did…_ Crona thought, face flushing while doing so. He then knelt down to look into Maka's eyes.

"M-Maka, I'll be right back, OK?" Crona assured her. "J-Just stay here for a few minutes. I'm just going to go find someone."

Maka gave Crona a small glare, still pouting. She then crossed her arms and sighed. "Oh, okaaaaaaay…"

Crona got back to his feet and quickly turned and dashed into the crowd, looking around frantically for Soul.

_Come on, come on…this is not the time for my bad luck to be working so-_

He came to a stop once he saw the one he was looking for. He quickly ran over to Soul, who was busy chatting it up with the Thompsons.

"And then, I'm not even kidding here, she suddenly jumps up and says-HEY!"

He was cut off by Crona grabbing the back of his jacket and pulling him back. Crona gave a small wave at the Thompsons.

"S-Sorry! It's an emergency!"

Before either of them could ask, Crona was pushing Soul through the crowd. After a few seconds of his protests being ignored by Crona, Soul managed to wrestle away from him.

"Do you mind?" he demanded, adjusting his jacket. "Did you have to do that? This thing's expensive, man! You could rip it by-"

"I'll pay the difference, let's go!" Crona responded, grabbing Soul's wrist and pulling. "This is important!"

Soul pulled his arm away, giving Crona an annoyed glare. "What is with you? What is just so important, anyway?"

Crona gulped. "W-Well…i-it's Maka."

Soul blinked. "Something's wrong with Maka?"

"Y-Yeah…I think…I think she's affected by the Madness!"

Soul stared at Crona in disbelief, not responding to Crona's pleading look or constant fidgeting. He then raised a hand and pointed at himself.

"Um…hello? _I'm_ the one with the black blood, remember?"

Crona blinked in confusion. "And…you're not affected by Madness?"

"Of course I'm not! Not even slightly! Do I _look_ even a little nutty?"

"W-Well…no…"

Crona then shook his head, his face still pleading. "I-It doesn't matter! I don't know what it is, but _something's_ wrong with Maka! Please, you have to come see!"

Soul held up his hands in front of him. "OK, OK! Calm down, man! I'm coming!"

The two of them resumed walking through the crowd, heading towards where Crona left Maka.

"Honestly, it's probably nothing to worry about." Soul explained. "I'm sure you're worrying over nothing. There's no real need to…panic?"

Soul trailed off as he saw Maka. Her head was wobbling around in circles, and she was giving small moans while doing so. She stopped when her eyes fell on Soul, causing her to wave at him with a grin on her face.

"Hiiiiiiii Soul."

Soul blinked, waving back. "Uh…hi?"

Maka giggled again, leaving Soul completely confused while Crona knelt down beside her.

"M-Maka? Are you alright…?" Crona asked.

Maka turned to look at Crona, before reaching over and tugging at the collar of his shirt. "Why do you keep asking that, Crona? I told you, I'm fiiiiiine."

"I-I know you did…I just want to be sure…"

Maka tilted her head, then gave another giggle. "You look so nice in that suit, Crona."

Crona flushed, giving a small squeak of surprise.

"Whaaaaaaat? It's true. Don't you think you look nice?" Maka asked.

"W-Well…I-I guess…"

Maka pouted. "You _guess_? Soul, help me out here, doesn't he look nice in his suit?"

Soul blinked. "Uh, y-yeah, he looks real sharp…" Soul then knelt down in front of Maka. "Maka, did you drink anything since the party started?"

Maka blinked, then smiled again. "Just the punch."

Crona froze. "Th-The punch? The funny-smelling punch?"

Soul frowned, looking at Crona. "Funny-smelling?"

"Yeah…I thought it went bad…"

Maka giggled again. "Silly Crona. Punch can't go bad."

_OK, now this is starting to make a little more sense…_ Soul thought, before gently reaching up and tapping on Maka's shoulder. "Maka?"

Maka turned to look at Soul. "Hm?"

"Breathe."

Maka blinked at the request, but then leaned forward and exhaled, giving a slight "haaaaah" while doing so. Both Soul and Crona's noses wrinkled in response, which only made Maka giggle more.

Soul sighed. "Yep, just as I figured…"

"W-What?" Crona asked.

Soul looked at Crona, an exasperated expression on his face.

"Maka's drunk."

Both Crona and Maka stared at Soul, neither of them believing what he said, but for different reasons than the other. After a few moments of silence, Maka made a "pfffft" sound.

"Oh, come on! I'm not drunk!"

"…she's what?" Crona asked, his voice very quiet.

"She's totally drunk. That smell coming off of her breath is clearly alcohol." Soul explained.

"…but…that smells like the punch!"

"Yeah, obviously someone poured something in it."

"W-Who would do something like that?"

"Well, I have a theory or two-URK!"

Soul and Crona's conversation was cut off by Maka reaching forward and grabbing both of their collars, pulling them both upwards to her eye level.

"Hey. Don't you two ignore me. I just said that _I'm not drunk_."

She slowly got to her feet, pulling the two of them up with her in the process. She let them both go, giving a slightly askew yet confident smile.

"See? Perfectly fi-whoooooa!"

She stumbled a little in mid-sentence, but Crona managed to catch her before she fell too far. He helped her straighten up, while she continued speaking.

"…not drunk. Just a little dizzy, is all."

Soul gave Maka an incredulous look. "Uh-huh." He then turned to Crona. "OK, we got to get her home."

"Whaaaaaaat?" Maka said.

"O-OK, but…" Crona began, before leaning forward and whispering to Soul. "How? All these people will see her…"

Soul frowned, looking at the large group of people swarming through Kid's mansion. "Good point…" He started scanning the room. "There has to be some way we can distract them…something we can use to make it easier to sneak her out…"

He stopped when his eyes fell on a very large yet all too familiar object off to the side of the room.

Kid's piano.

…_well that just figures._ Soul thought, giving an annoyed sigh.

"OK…Crona, you have your key to our place, right?" Soul asked Crona.

Crona nodded, patting his right pantleg in response.

"Good. Once enough people are paying attention, you head out through a side door and get Maka home. I'll meet up with you guys later."

Crona blinked as Soul started to walk away. "B-But…"

Soul looked back. "What?"

"How do we know there _is_ a side door? I mean…wouldn't that ruin the symmetry?"

Soul blinked. _…shit, hadn't thought of that._ He gave another look around the room before looking back at Crona.

"Well…he has two kitchens, so he probably has two side doors to balance it out…besides, worse comes to worse, you could always just use a window."

"H-How is that sneaky…?"

"Depends on how good you are at it."

"Wait a second, I wasn't really listening…" Maka suddenly interjected. "What's going on?"

She didn't get an answer, as Soul was already making his way through the crowd, heading for the piano. And as the crowd slowly began to notice him as he moved closer, one thought ran through his mind.

_I swear, the things I will do for my meister…_

/

Afterwards, Crona would realize that he absolutely _hated_ trying to be sneaky.

Finding a suitable exit was only the beginning of the mess. There was attempting to get there as quickly as possible, which wasn't easy since he had to make sure people weren't paying attention to them. Then there was getting past the cook, who bore a striking resemblance to Mosquito, for some reason. Then, once they actually got outside, there was having to sneak under the windows to make sure no one happened to look outside. There was a small scare when he could've sworn Black*Star was trying to get his attention, but he was just cheering Soul's piano skills.

And to make it all worse, he had to drag a constantly protesting, stumbling Maka along with him.

"This is _so_ unfair!" she shouted as they stood outside of Kid's gate. "He knows how much I wanted to hear him play the piano, and he says I have to leave! It's like he deliberately doesn't want _me_ to hear it!"

Crona looked at his feet, wringing his hands together, knowing that any second now she'd turn and start yelling at him.

"I mean, I'm his meister! If anyone should get to hear him play, it should be me! He's such a…he's…he's just…"

Maka groaned, rubbing her forehead while trying to keep her balance. "I swear, when my brain starts working again, I'm going to think of the greatest insult in the world…and then I'll use it on him, and he'll be so stunned that he'll…he'll…well, he'll be really, really stunned…yeah, that'll teach him…"

Crona looked up, noticing that Maka was still wobbling a little. She turned to look at him, causing him to flinch reflexively.

"U-Uh…i-if you want…I-I could try and a-ask him to p-play for you…tomorrow, maybe…i-if you like…" he stuttered out.

Maka stared at Crona for a few long seconds, before sighing and moving closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Honestly? Good luck with that, Crona. I've been trying to get him to play for _ages_. No offense, but I seriously doubt he's going to listen to you."

She then sighed, moving away from Crona and starting to walk away from the mansion.

"Anyway…apparently, I have to go home, so let's go already…"

She took a few steps forward…

And promptly stumbled again.

Luckily, Crona dashed forward fast enough to catch her before she fell too far. He carefully helped her to her feet again, but froze when she gave a small squeak of pain.

"M-Maka? What is it?"

She reached down and rubbed her left ankle, wincing in pain.

"I think I twisted it a little…this is why I _hate_ wearing heels…"

She looked up at Crona to see his worried expression, even biting his lip out of concern. She sighed, giving him a slight pat on the cheek.

"You worry too dang much, you know that Crona?"

Crona blinked. "E-Eh?"

"It's not a big deal. I can still walk."

She went to move away from Crona, but stopped when she noticed that Crona was still holding her. She looked back at him to see his eyes darting around, his head turned to the side.

"…Crona?"

Crona flinched, turning to look at her again. "Um…maybe if…"

"Maybe if what?" Maka asked.

Crona fidgeted a little, clearly struggling to say something. Before Maka could ask what (or why his face was getting so red), his arms moved away from her. He quietly moved in front of her, before kneeling down, back facing her.

He didn't say anything, but he looked back at her, face beet red.

It took a few minutes for the message to sink in. When it did, Maka placed a hand over her face, giving a small groan.

"Crona…you…you can't…I swear, you and Soul are completely overreacting!" she managed to sputter out. "I keep telling you, I am not that-"

She had started to walk forward in mid-sentence. When she did, she managed to stumble forward again, this time falling onto Crona's back. He let out an "umph" as he fell on him, but he didn't move, careful to remain perfectly still. He felt Maka give a small moan into his back, and tried to ignore how it tickled.

"I swear…I am not drunk…" Maka muttered.

Crona sighed. _If I don't tell her something to get her to listen, we're never going to get anywhere…_

"Maka…"

Maka looked up at Crona, who was facing away from her.

"M-Maybe you are drunk, and maybe you're not…" Crona stuttered. "I-I don't know…I'm just going by what Soul said…but…either way, you're probably going to get hurt more…and I don't want that to happen…"

He turned his head to look back at her, both his eyes and his voice pleading.

"Please, Maka…? …please…?"

Maka stared at Crona for a few seconds, before sighing in defeat. "Fine…"

She slowly moved up, her arms looping around his neck from behind and her head resting on the back of his.

"I swear, I just can't say no when you act like that…"

Crona flushed at that, which only got worse when he realized just what he had to do next. He gulped, trying very hard not to think about it, and just focused on what was his newfound job.

He slowly reached back, his hands finding Maka's body. His blush only grew brighter when Maka apparently caught on to what he was trying to do, and he felt her legs stretch past his sides. He carefully moved his hands away and down, finding the undersides of her legs. He managed to find the proper spot (not too high, not too low), and gently grabbed them.

Then, slowly, cautiously, he rose to his feet, taking Maka's weight onto his back. He waited a few seconds once he rose to his full height, and once he felt both Maka's arms and legs relax around him, he started walking.

He was careful to move at a slow pace, not wanting to jolt Maka too much, and not wanting to cause a commotion that could wake anyone up. It was one of the few times he was thankful that he wasn't much of a day person, as being tired right about now would definitely make things worse. And the last thing he needed right then was for things to somehow get worse.

_OK, just try not to focus on where you're touching her…oh no, I just did it again…_ he thought.

After a few minutes of slow, quiet walking, Crona was surprised when Maka finally spoke.

"You know…this isn't really so bad."

Crona flushed as he felt Maka gently nuzzle into the back of his head. "It's like I'm getting a free ride. It's actually kinda fun."

Crona couldn't think of anything to say, so he just gave a slight "mm" of acknowledgement. He then felt Maka's arms move, and looked down to see her hands cross each other, resting on his upper chest.

"Hey, Crona?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Did you know that you're really huggable?"

Crona faltered slightly. "H-H-Huggable?"

"Yeah! I don't know what it is, but every time I see you, I have this irresistible urge to hug you. I see you for the first time in a day, and I think to myself "I am going to hug that boy _so_ much." Why is that?"

Crona could feel his face getting hotter and hotter. "I-I don't know…"

Maka started "hmmming" in thought, making Crona realize that this wasn't a subject she was about to drop. He winced slightly when she let out a small "oh" of understanding.

"I think I know now!"

"W-What…?"

She gave another giggle, before resting her head on his again. "It's because you're such a nice guy."

Crona blinked. "…I'm a nice guy?"

"Yeah. You really are nice, Crona. You're one of the nicest guys I know."

"…I'm not _that_ nice…"

"Ohhhhh yes you are! You're really sweet, and gentle, and kind, and you honestly care about people…in fact, I'm pretty sure I told you all this before."

Crona flushed, thinking about that conversation. "Y-You did…"

"Not only that, but look at the lengths you go to just to help me! You're like a knight in shining armor!"

Crona let out a low gasp, which was lost on Maka, who kept going.

"You're carrying me home just because I _might_ get hurt. If that's not proof of your chivalry, Mr. Knight, I don't know-"

"M-Maka…"

"Eh?"

Maka noticed that Crona had stopped walking, his head now hanging low.

"…please…don't…don't call me that…"

Maka stared at the back of Crona's head, her own head tilted in confusion. After a few seconds, it dawned on her just what the problem was.

Crona felt one of Maka's hands leave his chest, moving up and gently rapping its knuckles atop his head.

"Ow!"

"Now…you listen to me, Cotton-Candy-head-"

"C-C-C-_Cotton-Candy-head_?" Crona stuttered out.

"Well…yeah…because your hair is all pink…and fluffy…" Maka explained while gently rubbing the top of Crona's head. "Like cotton candy…anyway…"

Maka's hand returned to its original resting place on Crona's chest, while she continued.

"My head might be a bit fuzzy right now…but I'm pretty sure I told you to stop thinking about that…"

Crona winced, not liking that he had disobeyed Maka. "I-I know…I'm sorry…I just can't help it sometimes…"

"Well, it shouldn't matter. That guy…I can't even call him another you, because it wasn't you at all." Maka grumbled. "He was just some freak who pretended to be nice to get what he wanted."

Crona started walking again, hoping that Maka would drop the subject and move on to something else. No such luck.

"See, he was a knight _stereotype_. The one who acted all chivalrous and stuff and automatically got what he wanted because the story said so. Stereotypes are bad, and you are _not_ a stereotype. Get it?"

"R-Right…"

"He was a bad knight, because he was only acting to get rewarded. His methods were the same, but his reasons were all wrong. A real knight's not supposed to worry about the reward, he's supposed to worry about the act. Doing the right thing, to a knight, is in and of itself its own reward."

Crona looked down at his feet, thinking about what Maka was telling him. _They sound like incredible people…almost too good to be real…_

His face flushed again as he felt Maka nuzzle his head again.

"And that's what I like about you, Crona."

His face froze. "H-Huh?"

"Because you remind me of a knight. A good knight. A _real_ knight. You don't pretend to be nice because you expect a big shiny reward at the end, you do nice things and be a nice person because it's just who you are."

Crona looked down again, continuing to walk at the slow pace he was. "B-But…there are things that I want…that's not like a knight…"

"Wanting a reward and expecting a reward are two different things, Crona. Lots of people do things and expect to be rewarded at the end…but someone who does something and doesn't worry about being rewarded…those are really hard to find."

He felt her gently squeeze her arms around him, her voice lowering enough so he could just barely hear her.

"Maybe you don't flaunt your knightness or anything, but a real knight shouldn't have to. He doesn't show that he is a knight, he just _is_ one. He protects what he cares about, he does the necessary brave deeds, and he doesn't worry about what others think or whether or not he looks like a knight. So long as what's important to him is safe, he can be happy."

Crona eyes were aimed straight ahead, his head swimming with what Maka had just told him. After all, how could anyone view him in such a way, much less Maka? Then again, if anyone could think of him so highly, it would be her, but for her to actually voice those thoughts…

"You're one in a million, Crona. And I mean that in the nicest way possible."

Crona flushed as that last comment suddenly escaped Maka's mouth. To most other people, that phrase would seem cheesy, almost laughably so, even if it was a compliment. But, to Crona, it meant that Maka viewed him as special. As someone who was unique, and should be recognized for that uniqueness. It was the first time anyone had praised him for being different, and even if it was for something besides the black blood, or Ragnarok, or being the son of a witch, or being so easily affected by Madness, it was still praise.

"…how…"

"Hm?" Maka mumbled.

"How is it…" Crona whispered. "…that even when you're drunk…you somehow know the right thing to say…?"

Maka let out a small giggle, which tickled the back of Crona's head.

"Because I'm _awesome_, that's why."

Crona gave a small chuckle in response. _She absolutely is._

"Ah! I got you to laugh!"

"Y-Yeah…just a little…"

"And I didn't have to _cheat_ this time…although…"

"M-M-Maka, if you do that, I'll wind up dropping you!"

"Oh, yeah…it's just so tempting, though…"

/

Crona gave a small, relieved sigh as they finally reached Maka's apartment.

The rest of the walk had been fairly uneventful. It was actually pretty nice to walk with Maka all alone at night, the only lights being the streetlamps and the only sounds being a few crickets here and there. He would've liked to do it again, if only without having to carry Maka the whole way. Not that he minded, but it would be nicer if he didn't have to.

He stood in front of Maka's door, suddenly realizing something that should've been obvious.

"Um…Maka?"

"Yes?" she muttered.

"I'm going to have to put you down now…I can't reach my key like this…"

Maka gave a small "mhm" of acceptance, which was all Crona needed. He carefully knelt back down, letting go of Maka's legs. He felt her move her arms away from him and back away, and he looked back to see her wobble slightly, but keep steady.

He sighed, getting back to his feet and reaching into his pants pocket. He pulled out his key and unlocked the door, gently pushing it open and peering inside.

Before he could move for the lights, Maka moved past him, stumbling forward and draping herself over the back of the couch.

"See?" she said. "Made it home without any real problems…oooh…"

Crona walked over beside her, leaning forward to get a look at her face. "W-What's the matter, Maka?"

"My head's still feeling fuzzy…and it'd be nice if the room stopped spinning so much…"

Crona shivered slightly. "Y-You should probably lie down…I'll help you to your room if you-"

Before he could finish, Maka slumped further over the couch, eventually rolling over it and somehow maneuvering her body so that she landed on it perfectly flat, giving a small "oof" as her back stretched against the cushions.

…_or she could do that._ Crona thought. He then walked beside the couch, grabbing the blanket and pillow Maka kept there and bringing them over to her. After placing the pillow under her head and pulling the blanket over her, he smiled as Maka gave a comforted sigh.

He then sat down on the floor in front of her, not entirely sure what to do next.

…_should I just go?_ he wondered. _I can't exactly steal Soul's bed…and I definitely can't sleep in her room…but how will I know if she'll be OK?_

He blinked in surprise when he noticed Maka smiling at him, her head resting on the pillow.

"W-What is it, Maka…?"

She gave a small giggle. "I was just thinking about how nice you've been to me today, Crona…I really do appreciate everything you do for me."

Crona blushed, giving a small smile back. "I-It's alright…I don't mind at all…"

The room grew quiet for a moment, Crona returning to wondering about just what he should do next. The silence was soon broken by one word.

"Hey."

Crona looked at Maka, whose hand had crawled up through the covers. It was now curling a finger, beckoning Crona closer.

"Come here."

Crona blinked in confusion, but obeyed, getting on his knees and leaning closer to Maka.

"Turn your head."

Crona blinked, but did so, wondering just what she was getting at.

He then felt something very strange. A light, yet slightly wet bit of pressure against his cheek.

A second later, he realized just what it was.

He felt Maka's lips disengage from his cheek with a light smack, and then felt Maka's breath against his ear as she whispered to him.

"You may not expect a reward, Mr. Knight, but that doesn't mean you don't _deserve_ one."

She then moved back, turning away from him and resting her head on the pillow, very quickly falling asleep.

Crona slowly got back to a sitting position, trying to ignore the lightheadedness he was experiencing right then, all while one thought ran through his mind at the speed of light.

_Oh God oh God did that just happen I think it did I think that actually happened MAKA JUST KISSED ME._

The room started spinning, and Crona had to remember to start breathing again before he could black out.

_OK…OK…just calm down…don't get excited…_ Crona told himself, the room slowly coming back into focus. _…it was just a peck on the cheek…that's all…and she was drunk…it probably doesn't really mean anything…_

Crona took a few slow, deep breaths, calming himself down as he hugged his knees to his chest. He looked up at the now-sleeping Maka, her back facing him and the only movements made being the slow, gentle breaths she was taking.

A small, very tempting thought entered Crona's mind.

…_I could just…sneak under the covers with her…_ he thought. _Just to snuggle…I wonder what it would be like…to sleep beside her…I could be careful so as to not wake her…_

Without even realizing, he had started to sit up more, about to get up and move onto the couch. He quickly forced himself back down, shaking his head to clear the thought away.

_NonononoNO! I can't do that! There is absolutely no way I can do that!_ he told himself. _She would definitely be upset with me if I did that!_

He gave a small groan, holding the sides of his head, starting to hate himself for even wanting to do that, much less actually consider doing it. _What is the matter with me? Why would I think about doing that?_

And yet, it was all too clear just why he wanted that.

He looked up at Maka again, noticing that she had rolled over in her sleep, so she was now facing him. He looked at her face, eyes closed and a peaceful smile on her face. He stared at that face, thinking carefully about what she said to him before.

"_Wanting a reward and expecting a reward are two different things."_

Crona looked down, chin resting on his knees. _What reward do I really want…?_ he wondered.

Almost in response, a small, simple image crawled into his mind:

Just him and Maka, cuddled together, the both of them happy to be with the other.

…_to be close enough to her so that can happen…_ Crona thought, hands gripping his legs reflexively. _Could that actually happen someday…?_

He gave a small sigh, looking down at his feet as he thought about all the reasons why it couldn't happen. All the reasons it _shouldn't_ happen. But no matter how much he tried to push that want away with those thoughts, it just wouldn't budge. He wanted to be like that with Maka. He wanted it more than anything in the world.

It would be so easy for him to just move and make that happen, right then and there.

…_it would be wrong._ he reasoned. _She wouldn't be happy…and I'd just be placating myself…it wouldn't be right…_

He looked back up at her again, his thoughts returning to everything she'd told him.

…_she called me a knight._ he thought. _Someone who protects what matters to them…without expectation of a reward…_

He gave a small smile, his hands rubbing his legs.

_I think I can deal with that…being her knight._

/

Maka groaned as she awoke to a throbbing headache. She squinted as the sun's rays broke through the window, turning away from them and rubbing her eyes.

_Geez…definitely not a good start to the day…_ Maka thought.

She blinked as she suddenly realized that she was sleeping on the couch instead of her bed. She rubbed her forehead in both pain and confusion, the headache refusing to go away.

_What am I doing on the couch…?_ she wondered. _I remember being at Kid's party last night…what happened then, anyway?_

She then froze, a thought coming to her.

_Wait…smashing headache…waking up in a strange place…no memory of the previous night…oh CRAP._

She quickly shook her head, which she immediately regretted as that only made the headache worse. After another small moan and rubbing her head, she tried to focus.

_OK, don't panic, Maka. Get your bearings first. Then decide whether or not to panic._

She slowly looked under the blanket. _OK…my dress from last night is still on…_

She carefully patted her body, checking for any missing undergarments. _…underwear is still on…doesn't look like anything bad happened…_

She gave a small sigh of relief, deciding to take a look around. Naturally, the first thing that her eyes fell on was what was laying on the floor in front of the couch.

Crona was sprawled out, his feet perpendicular to the couch as he quietly snoozed away. Maka breathed another sigh as she noticed that his clothes were still intact.

_But now they're all messy…and he looked so nice in that suit, too…_ Maka thought bitterly. _…wait, why is he sleeping on the floor? Right beside me?_

She then heard something she wasn't expecting: a sharp cry of pain, followed by about five or six curses. She looked up to see Soul walk out of the kitchen, waving his hand in pain.

"Damn damn damn damn…" he growled under his breath, before noticing Maka looking at him. He blinked in surprise, walking over to her.

"Oh, good. You're awake."

Maka groaned slightly, rubbing her forehead. "Can you keep it down a little…my head hurts like crazy…"

"Oh, right, sorry…" Soul replied, his voice dropping to a whisper. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I got smacked in the head with a sledgehammer…"

"Yeah, well, welcome to your first hangover, Maka."

"…be honest, Soul. How bad was it?"

Soul gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Crona was able to get you out of there before you did anything crazy."

Maka sighed slightly, turning to look at Crona again. _Of course he did…_

"Speaking of which…what's he doing there?"

Soul blinked. "I would assume sleeping, genius."

Maka growled. "Noooo…"

She then turned, leaning closer to Soul and glaring into his eyes. "I mean, what's he doing sleeping _on the floor_? Why isn't _he_ on the couch instead of me?"

Soul blinked, holding his hands up. "I don't know! By the time I got here, you were both like that!"

"And this was when?"

"Um…12:30? 1-ish, maybe?"

Maka sighed, leaning back against the arm of the couch. "That's a pretty big time gap, I'm guessing…"

"What? You worried that something happened?"

Maka flushed. "O-Of course not! What do you take me for?"

"OK, OK, chill! I was just asking!"

Maka grumbled, rubbing her forehead again. She then looked back up at Soul.

"And what exactly are you doing right now, anyway?"

Soul grinned. "Oh, just making breakfast, that's all."

"…_you're_ making breakfast?"

"Yeah. Why, don't think I can do it?"

"…no. No, I don't. Because you've never made breakfast in the time we've known each other. Ever."

"First time for everything. Besides, how hard can it be?"

Maka frowned, then suddenly sniffed, noticing an odd smell in the air.

"…why don't you ask me that when you figure out where that's coming from?"

Soul blinked, sniffing the air as well. His eyes widened when he realized what it was.

"Oh crap, _the toast_!"

He turned and ran back into the kitchen, and a few seconds later, another cry of pain rang out.

"_GODDAMMIT THAT HURT!_"

This was followed by a loud _CRASH_, which then caused Crona to sit straight up, now suddenly wide awake.

"What? Where's the explosion? Who-"

He stopped when he saw Maka staring down at him. His expression changed to one of immense relief as he got to his knees.

"Maka! You're awake!"

Maka winced, placing a hand on her head while raising her other hand, lifting a finger in front of her lips and gently shushing Crona.

"Oh! Sorry!" Crona replied, his voice lowering to a whisper.

"I-It's OK…" Maka assured him. "Just a bad headache…"

Crona gave a small sigh, but said nothing else. The two simply looked at one another, neither of them entirely sure of what to say or whether or not to speak first.

…_I should say something to him…_ Maka thought.

"Um…Soul told me that you helped me home…" she whispered.

Crona flushed, quickly looking down. "Y-Yeah…I was just…I thought that, people would make fun of you if they saw you…well…"

"Being a drunken fool?" Maka offered.

"N-Not a fool…you can't be a fool, Maka…"

Maka blinked at the somewhat unintentional compliment. She then reached over and gently touched Crona's cheek, causing him to look up at her. He blushed at the contact, and the blush only deepened when he realized it was the same cheek she found last night.

"Thank you for helping me, Crona…and sorry you had to put up with me when I was like that…"

Crona blinked, instinctively reaching up and touching Maka's hand. He gave her a small, shy smile.

"I-It's OK…I didn't-…I mean…it was no trouble…none at all…"

Maka's hand moved away from his cheek, his own hand following it as it did so. The two remained fairly still for a while, their touching hands hovering between them in the air. After a few seconds, Crona's hand slowly dropped as he leaned forward. Without a word, he gently wrapped his arms around Maka, resting his head on her shoulder.

Maka was a little surprised at the sudden movement, but made no complaints, and quickly did the same to Crona. Crona was more than pleased to hear Maka give an "mmm" of content, squeezing him gently while doing so.

After a few minutes of the two of them together, they gently pulled away from the other. They gave each other gentle smiles, the both of them more than happy that the other was there. Soon, Maka stretched, starting to get off of the couch.

"Well…I guess I better go help Soul with breakfast."

Crona gave a small "ah" of surprise, then gently grabbed Maka's shoulders. "J-Just a minute, Maka!"

Maka blinked. "Eh?"

"Y-You said you weren't feeling well, right?"

"…it's just a headache, Crona."

"Even so, you should probably lie down…you shouldn't worry about breakfast…"

"But…"

Crona gently pulled Maka back down, her head resting on the pillow again. "You just go ahead and rest…I'll go help Soul."

Maka blinked in surprise. "You will? Really?"

"Y-Yeah…it's no problem at all, Maka. Really."

He gave her another smile, and before she could protest further, he was on his feet and heading for the kitchen.

"…wow, I didn't know you could make toast that black…"

"Never mind the toast right now, Crona! Worry about the pancakes!"

"…I don't think pancakes are supposed to be that colour."

"I know that! And what the hell's the point of putting chocolate chips on them? They just melt right away!"

"I think you're supposed to put the chips in the mix _before_ you bake them, Soul…"

"…OK, yeah, that makes a lot more sense."

"…what's that smell?"

"…oh crap, _the bacon_!"

_CRASH!_

"HOT! HOT! HOOOOOOOT!"

"The mitts! Where are the mitts?"

"How should I know that?"

"It's your kitchen!"

Maka sighed, pulling her knees to her chest, still wondering if she should get up and help or just listen to the chaos.

…_boys._

/

And we are done! Hope you enjoyed that little refuge in fluffiness!

Next review should be on the way soon!


	12. Breakfast

OK, OK, I know I said that the next review would be coming soon. Trust me, I am working on that. However, this little idea popped into my head, and it would make more sense to do it now, considering it takes place immediately after the aside chapter.

It's fairly short, so just take a few minutes and read on. The next review will be on its way soon.

Seriously, it will.

/

"Who knew making breakfast could be so damn complicated?" Soul wondered aloud.

Crona simply shrugged in reply as the two walked down the street.

After the fiasco that was their attempt at making Maka breakfast, which included broken dishes, Ragnarok throwing a fit, and one too many hot pans (which was why Soul's fingers were currently bandaged), Soul pretty much gave up on the idea of ever being a good cook. He was, however, determined to make Maka feel better after the events of last night, so he decided to go out and buy her breakfast.

Blair had since returned from wherever she was the night previous, and since she could keep an eye on Maka, Crona offered to join Soul. Partially because he was still nervous around Blair (though she had been a bit more subdued lately), but also because he wanted to help Maka feel better.

He understood that Maka wasn't exactly in the proper state of mind when she said it, but she still called him a knight. Someone who protected what mattered to him, no matter the cost. Someone who would do the right thing without expectation of a reward.

_That's what she thinks of me._ Crona thought, looking at the sidewalk under his feet. _I won't let her down._

The trip to the local fast-food joint hadn't been very eventful. Granted, it was morning, so they had to wait in line to make it to the counter, which only infuriated Ragnarok, causing him to throw another fit. It was only when Soul suggested they just give up and starve to death that he quieted down, after causing enough of a scene to make Crona more than uncomfortable.

Crona thought back on that, glancing over at Soul as they headed back to his and Maka's apartment. Soul had helped him out again, much like Maka would whenever Ragnarok would get out of control. However, instead of offering comforting or encouraging words, he just smiled and nodded, then focused on getting their food.

_Why did he do that…?_ Crona wondered. _Was he really trying to help me…? Or was he just annoyed with Ragnarok?_

He then shook his head out of frustration. _What's the matter with me? Of course he was trying to help! He's my friend, why wouldn't he help me?_

He glanced back at Soul, who was staring ahead, looking slightly tired. Crona thought carefully about him, about how he was one of the most popular guys at the academy. How he still got tons of offers to switch partners with someone, especially now that he was a Death Scythe. How he had started to develop something of a fan club amongst some of the female populace.

Granted, Crona had his own fanbase, but they were from outside of their world. People he couldn't and probably never would see. People who could be nice and kind to him one moment and then incredibly creepy the next. He doubted anyone within the academy viewed him as a number of people viewed Soul.

Soul was cool, even without trying to be. Crona wasn't. Soul was a good person, dependable, reliable. Crona, despite all his efforts to prove the same, knew few people viewed him as such. Soul was, admittedly, good-looking. In fact, he could be considered handsome. Crona seriously doubted he was the same.

It didn't help that, of all the people he could be working with, he was partnered with Maka. They shared a bond that only those in a meister-weapon pairing could understand. A deep, personal understanding of one another that was practically required to be an effective team. Crona wasn't entirely sure he could comprehend that. After all, he was stuck with Ragnarok, for better or for worse. But Maka and Soul worked together willingly. There had to be something there for that to work.

…_stop it._ Crona ordered himself. _He isn't your enemy. He's your friend. You're not supposed to hate your friends. You aren't supposed to be…jealous of your friends…_

But it was true. Crona was jealous of Soul. Jealous of what he was. Jealous that he was everything Crona wasn't. Jealous of the bond that he shared with Maka.

Jealous because he didn't believe he could replicate that same bond with her.

"Crona?"

Crona's head snapped up at Soul's voice. He saw Soul staring at him, head tilted out of both confusion and concern.

"You alright? You look like something's on your mind."

Crona stared at Soul, having since stopped walking.

…_I have to ask him._ he decided, gripping the paper bag in his hands out of nervousness. _I can't just hate him for something that only might be true. I…I have to know where we stand…_

"C-Can…can I ask you something…Soul?" Crona questioned.

Soul frowned. "Yeah, sure man. What's up?"

Crona's head lowered, taking a deep breath. _Here goes…_

"Who…who is Maka…to you?"

Soul blinked in surprise. When he spoke, he spoke with a tone that indicated the answer should've been obvious.

"She's my best friend. She's my partner. What else would she be?"

Crona gulped slightly. "Th-That's all…? She's…is she…anything else?"

The only response Crona got was silence. He was staring at his feet, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the answer he definitely didn't want to hear.

_Just say it…just say it and get it over with…_ Crona thought.

He heard Soul walk over to him. He looked up slightly to see him leaning over, in order to get a better look at him.

"Crona…are you asking if I have feelings for Maka?"

Crona gave a slight flinch, ready to hear a "yes", almost anxious to hear it so he wouldn't have to keep thinking about it. He gave a small nod, but said nothing.

Soul stared at Crona for a few more seconds. He then sighed, straightening back up and looking away.

"…I think I might have…at one point."

That alone was enough to sting Crona, but not as badly as he thought it would. Still, the number of questions left unanswered were enough to drive him up a wall.

"Wh-What do you mean…?" Crona asked, head raised to look at Soul again.

He noticed that Soul was scratching the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed to have to admit what he was about to say.

"It wasn't long after we first became partners…" Soul began. "We were practicing Soul Resonance…it was the first time we'd tried it ourselves. When we finally managed to properly connect our souls…I felt something."

Crona flinched, already knowing he wasn't going to like what he was going to hear.

"It's kind of hard to explain…" Soul continued. "I've resonated with other people since then…but I haven't felt the same feeling. It's only with Maka…it felt-"

"Warm."

Soul blinked, surprised that Crona had spoken up. He was looking down again, shaking slightly.

"…kind of. It did feel kind of warm when I did it…but there was something else, too."

Crona looked up again. "Wh-What?"

"I felt…complete. Like I had found another part of me I didn't know about before. I…I can't really explain it any better than that, man…"

Soul frowned as Crona lowered his head yet again. His shaking had gotten worse, too.

…_so…they really do fit together…_ Crona thought bitterly.

"I talked to Black*Star about it." Soul explained. "He had practiced Soul Resonance a few times with Tsubaki by then. He said he felt the same thing…so we talked to Sid about it…"

Soul sighed, stretching up and lacing his hands behind his head. "He said that that was normal when resonating with someone. You notice the differences between you more than your similarities. You feel balanced out. The fact that we were able to do it so soon just meant that we were really compatible as partners."

Crona's head didn't move. Soul could tell that he wasn't convinced at all. He sighed, letting his arms drop back to their sides.

"Look, Kid resonates with both Liz and Patty at the same time. Does that mean he's in love with them both?"

"…no…" Crona replied.

"Right. And Sid's resonated with both Mira and Yumi. That doesn't mean he's in love with both of them, or even either of them, does it?"

"…not really…"

"And look at Stein! As far as we know, he's resonated with Spirit, Marie, and Jacqueline. I know he's not in love with all three of them. And Spirit's also resonated with Lord Death. Is he in love with him?"

"Probably not…"

"Exactly! Just because they work together doesn't mean they're in love or anything. Kim and Ox are together, but they don't work as partners, do they?"

Soul moved closer, putting a hand on Crona's shoulder. Crona looked up at Soul again, surprised at Soul's calm smile.

"My point is, just because Maka and I are partners, doesn't mean I'm in love with her."

Crona frowned. "But…are you?"

Soul gave a small sigh, his eyes looking off to the side.

"…like I said, I might have initially…but I don't think I do anymore. It's hard to explain, Crona…maybe I mistook what I felt for romantic interest…or maybe I just grew out of it. I just…I can't really picture us _together_ like that, you know? It'd feel weird…"

Soul shook his head, patting Crona's shoulder.

"Point being, no, I'm not in love with Maka. I love her, don't get me wrong, but not like that."

He grinned, his hand moving away from Crona's shoulder.

"In other words, you have nothing to worry about, pal."

Crona flushed, quickly looking away from Soul.

"Th-That…that wasn't why I-"

"Oh, come on! You're really going to try and deny it after acting like that?"

Crona looked back to see Soul staring at him, arms crossed with an exasperated look on his face.

"Seriously Crona, you might be able to lie to someone else, but do you really think you can convince _me_ that you're not interested in Maka?"

Crona blinked. "Wh-What do you-"

"I'm her partner! If anyone would notice if some guy was interested in her, trust me, it'd be me."

Soul sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, it's amazing how everyone can see how someone acts around someone but the one acting can't."

"…I act differently around Maka…?"

Soul grinned. "Yeah, you do. Not _that_ different, but a bit."

"H-How so…?"

"Well, for one, you smile more around her."

Crona blushed. "I-I do?"

"Yeah. Not that you don't smile when she isn't around or anything…but you seem more willing to smile when she is around."

Crona looked down, rubbing his arm while doing so.

"Not only that…" Soul continued. "But you just generally seem…thankful to be near her. When she talks, you look like you're hanging onto her every word. If she compliments you or something you do, you blush like usual, but you seem so…appreciative. And if she walks away from you, even a little bit, you start moving faster to catch up to her."

Crona shivered slightly. "You…you noticed all of that…?"

Soul sighed. "You're not the only one who's protective of her, Crona."

Crona's head snapped up, eyes wide. _Oh no, how stupid could I be?_

"Th-That-…I wasn't trying to-"

Soul smiled. "I know, I know, relax man! I'm just saying I'm always looking out for her. If some guy starts acting like he's on cloud nine just being near her, I'm going to notice. And that fits how you act around her to a T."

His smile widened into a grin. "But hey, if anyone's going to be interested in my meister, I'm glad it's you, Crona."

Crona froze, the gears in his head spinning as fast as possible, trying to process what Soul just said.

…_did he…did he really just say that…?_

Soul chuckled slightly at Crona's expression. "You're alright, Crona. You're someone I can trust around Maka. I know you're not going to hurt her or anything. And besides, you make Maka happy."

That got Crona's attention.

"I…I do?" he weakly asked.

"Of course you do! Whenever you guys have plans or whatever, she'll have this excited look on her face. And if you're not making plans, she'll still have something in mind in case you surprise her with a visit. And whenever you pop in, she'll instantly get this huge smile on her face. You really didn't notice that?"

Crona looked away. "I…I did, but…I didn't think it was because of _me_…"

Soul sighed, reaching up and ruffling Crona's hair.

"Well, it is. You make Maka happy, and I'd be a huge jerk if I tried to come between that. And it goes without saying that jerks are definitely not cool."

Crona gave a small chuckle at that, looking back up at Soul. Soul grinned in reply, then moved away from him.

"Now, let's hurry up and get these home. We don't want to keep her waiting, do we?"

Crona shook his head, and soon, the two were heading back again.

As much as Crona wanted to leave it at that, safe in his reassurance that Soul wasn't interested in Maka in that way, there was more that needed to be said.

"…I'm sorry, Soul…"

Soul looked over at him. "For what?"

"For being so…suspicious of you…"

"…hey, don't sweat it-"

"No…it wasn't right…"

Soul frowned, head tilted to try and get a better look at Crona, who was looking at the ground again.

"I…you're supposed to be my friend…I can't be suspicious of my friends…I shouldn't think that they're going to hurt me…"

Soul sighed, eyes forward again.

"That's one of the problems with romance, Crona…you don't always think straight when you're worried about it. Your feelings wind up becoming the reasons behind your actions, and they don't always make you take the right ones."

"…I don't want to lose her, Soul…"

Soul blinked, looking at Crona again. "Lose her?"

Crona nodded. "She's…she's the most important person in the entire world…I'd do anything, give up anything, just to make her happy…I couldn't handle losing her, Soul. I know I can't deal with that, above everything else…"

He gave a small, shuddering sigh. "But…if I had to lose her…I know she'd be happy with you…maybe I could…accept that, at least…"

Soul stared at Crona for a few minutes, watching him stare at the ground, the shaking of his body slowly coming to a stop. Soul gave another sigh, then reached over and placed an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close.

"Wh-Wha?" Crona wondered.

"Geez, what's with all this talk of losing her, Crona? Didn't I just say I wasn't about to come between you two?"

"B-But-"

"But nothing." Soul replied.

Crona turned to look at him, surprised at the comforting smile on his face.

"Crona, no matter what happens, you're not losing Maka. You're one of us. She's not going to leave you for me or anyone else. You don't have to worry about that."

Crona flushed, Soul's words prominent in his head.

_I'm…one of them?_

"That said, if you ever hurt Maka, I'll kill you."

"I-I would never-"

"I know, I know. I just had to say it. It's tradition."

"…tradition?"

"Yeah. I gotta make sure you'll take good care of her, so I threaten you. It's a guy thing."

"…but you just said that you know I wouldn't hurt her…"

"Yeah, but I gotta honor the Guy Code."

"Guy Code?"

"Basically…"

/

The two of them stood in front of the door to Soul's apartment, the tension clearly evident in the air. Crona gave a small gulp as Soul reached for the doorknob.

He then stopped, looking at the doorknob in front of him. He then pulled back and turned to Crona, handing him the two paper bags he got from the restaurant.

"You better hang on to these."

Crona blinked in confusion. "W-Why?"

"Just a gut feeling I've got."

Crona looked at the bags, then carefully took them, holding them along with the one he got earlier.

Soul turned back to the door, taking a deep breath and quietly letting it go. He grabbed the doorknob and slowly turned it.

He carefully pushed the door open, peeking inside while doing so.

"Maybe she's asleep now-"

Suddenly, the door swung open, Blair pulling on it from the other side.

"The boys are home!"

"_Oh crap_!"

Crona instinctively stepped to the side as Blair reached forward and grabbed Soul, pulling him close and hugging him to her chest.

"Welcome hoooooooome!" Blair purred.

Soul's face was stuffed in Blair's…chest, so his response came out heavily muffled.

_So that was why he wanted me to take the bags…_ Crona thought, carefully edging past the two of them and into the apartment.

He leaned over the couch to see Maka laying there, still in her dress from the previous night. She looked up at him, rubbing her forehead out of discomfort.

"Hi."

Crona smiled. "H-Hi…are you feeling any better…?"

Maka sighed. "Well, that depends. Is someone shining a flashlight right in my face?"

"N-No…"

She grumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Then no, not really…"

Crona gave a sheepish smile, then walked past the couch and over to the window, grabbing the curtains and slowly pulling them closed.

"Where's Soul?" Maka asked.

Crona looked back at her. "Uh…"

"…Blair got to him, didn't she?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Maka sighed. "She is _so_ getting chopped later…"

Crona gave a small "heh", walking back over to Maka and standing in front of the couch.

Maka looked at the three bags in Crona's hands, frowning slightly. She looked up at him before speaking.

"You didn't really have to do this, Crona…"

Crona flushed, looking down. "I-I know…but…I wanted to…"

Maka sighed slightly, reaching up and touching the back of Crona's hand. Crona looked at her, blinking in surprise at the contact.

She smiled. "That's really sweet of you, Crona. Thank you."

Crona's blush grew brighter at that, but he smiled in return.

The two of them then heard a loud gasp, and Crona looked up to see Soul frantically pointing at the kitchen.

"Crona! Go! I'll be there in a minute!"

Crona jumped slightly, but nodded. "O-OK!"

He looked back down at Maka. "B-Be right back…"

She sighed, then nodded. He pulled away from her, then quickly dashed into the kitchen, placing the bags on the counter. As he started to unwrap everything in the bags, he overheard Soul and Maka talking.

"Can you clean yourself up, Soul?"

"Hey, it's just a small bit of blood! It's not like I'm staining the carpets or anything!"

"Yeah, whatever…what kept you two, anyway?"

"The lines were long. It is when everyone's getting breakfast, after all."

"This is why I said it was a bad idea for you to go now…"

"And make you cook? No way. Besides, it was more Crona's idea."

Crona paused. _No it wasn't._

"…Soul, it was _your_ idea to make me breakfast."

"Yeah, and when it failed, Crona suggested we just go and buy you some."

Crona frowned. _Is…is he trying to make me look good to Maka…?_

"…really?"

"Yeah. He said he really wanted to help you feel better, so if we couldn't make you breakfast, we could still let you rest by going and getting it ourselves."

Crona resumed unwrapping the food, sighing slightly. _Well, he's right about that first part…_

He walked over to the fridge and opened the door. He peeked inside, grabbing the carton of milk. He then stopped as he saw something unusual.

A large glass bottle, green-tinted and with an unfamiliar wrapping around it.

He carefully pulled it out, frowning as he studied it, just as Soul walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, everything alright in-" Soul began, but stopped when he saw Crona holding the bottle. Crona looked up, a confused look on his face.

"…where'd you get that?" Soul asked.

"It was in your fridge…"

"…that was in our fridge?"

"Y-Yes…"

Crona noticed that the cap was loose, so he carefully unscrewed it. He raised the open bottle to his nose and inhaled, then quickly held it away, nose wrinkled.

"Ugh! It smells just like…"

Crona froze as he recognized the smell. "Just like…the…punch…"

Soul stepped forward, grabbing the bottle and pulling it towards him. He took a sniff, then grit his teeth, clearly recognizing the smell as well.

The two of them looked at each other, both of them slowly coming to the same conclusion. Soul knew he didn't put the bottle there, and they were both certain Maka didn't. Which left only one culprit.

And as that culprit's identity became clear, the two of them simultaneously shouted one name.

"_Blair_!"

/

There we go. Review on its way shortly.


	13. Story 7: Problem, Fangirls?

Alright, after that brief aside, we're back on track with another review! …for the time being, anyway.

Today's story comes recommended by Zoomatron, who is apparently as sadistic as I am. Since this one is just ridiculously aggravating. Anyway, you agree with the choice, or disagree with it, it was all his idea.

Onward!

/

Maka once told Crona that "you learn something new every day".

This was a difficult concept for Crona to wrap his head around. After all, if you learned something new every day, how long would it take before you learned everything there was to learn? And just how much _was_ there to learn? The revelation of his fictional nature was proof enough that there was so much that he didn't know. Would it even be possible to learn everything there was to learn?

Crona didn't like to think about that sort of thing, so he wasn't really open to learning anything new. Not that that didn't stop Maka from teaching him things.

"Now then, Crona…" Maka began as she leaned over him. "What have we learned from this?"

Crona gave a slight moan, both of his hands resting on his stomach as he leaned back in his chair. He looked up at Maka, taking a moment to think before replying.

"…not to drink the extra large vanilla milkshake?"

Maka nodded. "Right. And why is that?"

"B-Because now I feel sick…?"

"Exactly. And why do you feel sick?"

Crona frowned, taking another moment to think as he tried to not focus on how much his stomach hurt. _Is she hinting at something else…? The answer's obvious, so maybe it's wrong…but what else could she mean?_ he wondered.

"…um…b-because it was too much ice cream…?"

Maka nodded, sitting in her seat and leaning over. "Yes, it was too much. There's a lesson in this, you know."

"There is…?" Crona asked.

"Mhm. "Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing"."

Crona blinked, his mind processing what Maka just told him.

"…too much good…is bad?"

Maka nodded. "Yeah. I mean, just look at your current situation. The milkshake obviously tasted good, but because you had so much of it, now you're feeling sick. Not to mention the sheer amount of sugar that went into you. I'm surprised you're not bouncing off the walls from a sugar high."

Crona frowned, looking down as he thought. _Too much of a good thing…what else does that apply to? Is it just material items? Or…something else?_

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Maka giggling, and looked over to see her shaking in her seat, both of her hands over her mouth.

"W-What is it?" he asked.

Maka shook her head, removing her hands. "N-Nothing…just picturing you actually bouncing off of the walls…"

She promptly resumed giggling, trying in vain to stop herself from doing so. Crona gave a small chuckle in response, but quickly returned to thinking about the new "lesson" he was given.

…_could it mean that me being with Maka too much…is bad?_ he wondered. _No, that can't be right…I can't imagine that ever being bad for me…but…maybe it would be for her? Would she…get tired of me?_

His eyes travelled back down to his feet, as he tried not to think about the possibility of Maka being tired of being around him. It was probably the most difficult task he had up to that point, and he was failing miserably.

_She'd leave me…she wouldn't want to be around me anymore, and then I'd be all alone again, and I definitely can't deal with being alone anymore, but what would I do then, how would I react, what would happen if she got bored with me, would it be because of something I-_

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt two arms gently encircle him, as well as Maka's head resting on his shoulder. He gave a sigh of relief, leaning his head over so it touched Maka's. It didn't take very long for his worries to seemingly melt away, as he reveled in the warmth that he was feeling, that particular kind of warmth that only came from Maka hugging him.

"You looked like you were thinking pretty hard there…" Maka whispered to him.

"Y-Yeah…" he whispered back. "…I don't think I like this lesson…"

Maka gave him a gentle squeeze. "Well, not everything you learn is supposed to be pleasant…but in this case, it might just be because you were thinking _too_ much…"

Crona blinked. "…you can think too much?"

Maka giggled. "Sure, I do it all the time. The problem with thinking too much is that you wind up analyzing every little detail and possibility, and eventually you just give up or make the wrong decision. Sometimes you just need to step back and take a moment to relax."

"…but…isn't that sort of "too much of a good thing" too…?"

"…yeah, I guess it can be, if you look at it like that."

Crona gently lifted his head away from Maka, allowing him to turn so as to look at her.

"So…how much thinking do you need? What isn't too much or too little?"

Maka gave Crona a small smile, then reached up behind him and gently grabbed the back of his head. She tilted it forward so their foreheads touched, and she closed her eyes soon after. Crona blushed at the contact, but made no objections. After a few quiet minutes, Maka gave a small sigh.

"I really wish I knew the answer to that one, Crona…"

She pulled away after that, leaving Crona slightly surprised. _She doesn't know…?_

He gave a small sigh. Of course, Maka couldn't know everything. She was smart, much smarter than anyone else Crona knew. But even so, there had to be some things she didn't know about. To think otherwise would just be silly.

Sometimes, Crona hated how childish he could be.

"Anyway…" Maka said, interrupting Crona's thoughts again. She held up one of their many fanmail letters. "Let's get to these, shall we?"

Crona nodded while Maka opened her first letter.

_How do you think you'd react if your father happened to be a guest star?_

Maka sighed. "Honestly? I wouldn't be happy. As much as I absolutely can't stand him…he shouldn't have to go through this."

_Even though you said you have no artistic talent whatsoever, would find an art museum interesting at all?_

"I doubt I would…but I guess I could at least try."

_Whats the lowest score you've ever gotten on a test?_

Maka grumbled. "73…"

Crona fidgeted slightly. "Th-That was only because you came in with a fever, Maka…"

"It was an important test, there was no way I was going to miss it."

_Did you decorate your apartment, did Soul, or was it mutual?_

"Actually, it's pretty much the same since we first moved in. Except for our rooms, and one or two minor additions here and there."

_Apple juice or orange juice?_

"Orange. Apple's a little too sweet for me."

Maka placed the letter aside and opened her next one.

_We'll probably never meet, but if we did, would you teach me the Maka Chop?_

Maka placed the letter with the other, then placed her hands together under her chin, giving a small "hmm" while leaning forward.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. For one thing, I have no idea who you are, so I'd need a basic idea of what sort of person you are. Then there's the rigorous practice and teaching involved, which could take quite a while. I can't say for sure if you'd be up for it. Very few people are."

Crona blinked as Maka grabbed her next letter. "But you taught Raven…"

"I only taught her the basics because we were low on time. I could tell she was a kindred spirit, and I knew she would make good use of what I had taught her. Besides, from what you've told me, she's doing her own thing with it now, right?"

"That's true…"

"So, in the end, it works out…oh, this one's actually for all of us."

Crona blinked, leaning over to read the letter.

_Yeah sorry for the overly personal questions. My sense of humor tends to really cross the lines sometimes. So i know this probably doesnt help at all, but again, sorry. They are impulsive and usually involve caffeine or sugar._

Maka sighed, shaking her head as she placed the letter with the others. "This is why I seriously wonder about our fanbase's collective sanity."

Crona frowned as Maka opened her next letter. "W-Well…at least she gave a reason for it…"

"And it's that reason that I'm talking about. You don't just automatically ask the first question that comes to your mind when you're talking to a friend, do you? You have to think about it first! And I'm glad this person is admitting her mistake and all, but it really should be common sense!"

_From what I`ve seen in the manga, it seems that you enjoy reading mangas as well as regular books. Any personal favorite manga series?_

"Well, I do have a few favourites, but right now I'm liking K-On."

_Does Soul ever get frustrated when playing board games?_

"When he's not trying and failing oh-so-miserably to cheat, yes."

_So...do you have any idea why exactly Stein turned Sid into a zombie? And why Sid seems okay with this now?_

"I think Stein just liked the idea of actually creating life…so to speak. And why wouldn't Sid be OK with it? If I had a second chance at life, I'd snatch it up!"

_How many languages can you speak? Which ones?_

"Well, my mother did teach me some Japanese when I was younger…but I haven't used it since, so I'm probably rusty. I can also read German, but I'm not too sure on speaking it…oh, and I've been studying French, so there's that too-…Crona, are you OK?"

Crona was looking away, trying to hide his heavy blush. "Y-Yes, I'm fine! J-Just go ahead with the questions!"

"…oooookay…"

_Whats your favorite type of flower?_

"Daisies, actually."

_Whats your favorite type of candy?_

"Reese's Peanut Butter Cups."

_From what I`ve seen, some of you guys have survived some nearly impossible things. For instance, Black Star has survived multiple wounds very easily and quickly. And Stein too. You`ve survived some pretty nasty things yourself that normal humans wouldnt have lasted long under. Are you guys naturally above average humans, or are you just normal humans with a lot of luck?_

"Oh, we are very, very lucky to have survived what we've survived…well, Kid is the son of Lord Death, so I guess he can survive quite a bit…and Crona here has the black blood, which makes him practically invincible…but yeah, the rest of us have been pretty damn lucky. Having an awesome medical staff at the academy helps, of course."

_Do you enjoy the snow?_

"Like watching it, hate having to be out in it."

_What was one of your most favorite books as a child?_

"I liked reading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster…I should give that another read sometime soon…"

She placed the letter in the slowly-growing pile and opened the next one.

_I get the feeling that even if Spirit wasnt the lying, cheating, scum of the earth, you'd still hate him, is this true?_

"I can't really answer this question, since that's basically who he is, and I don't know what he'd be like if he wasn't like that."

_Did you truly forgive Crona the moment you touched his soul for hurting Soul? cuz i dont think a normal person you be 'ah, your a sweet kid, even if you ripped my weapon open and almost killed him, i'll forgive you' didnt you still hate him just a little bit for that? Like, not now, but like the day and next day after befriending him._

Maka sighed, turning to look at Crona, who was guiltily looking at his feet. She reached over and gave him another hug, squeezing him gently. It took a few seconds, but Crona eventually returned the gesture.

"I can't explain my reasoning for that, because it's very difficult to put into words. Nor should I have to. It is what it is, and that's all there is to it."

She pulled back slightly, reaching up and gently cupping Crona's face.

"And I don't regret my decision. At all."

Crona flushed at that, eyes widening in surprise. Maka smiled, then pulled Crona back into the hug, giving a small hum of content while resting her head on his shoulder.

Her hum quickly stopped when she heard a small sniffle come from him.

"Crona…?"

"J-Just a second…please…" he mumbled into her shoulder.

Maka started rubbing his back, attempting to soothe him. She heard him give a few more sniffles, even shaking a little while doing so. No sobs followed, however, but instead she felt Crona take a few calming breaths. His breathing soon returned to a normal rate, and she felt Crona gently squeeze her.

"OK…I'm OK now…"

Maka slowly pulled back to get a look at Crona's face. He reached up and rubbed his eyes a little, but gave Maka a small, reassuring smile all the same. Maka returned the smile, then let him go, turning back to the letter.

_Have you ever considered shooting Blackstar with enough sedatives to knock an elephant you and locking him in an aslyum? (Like, chaining him, keeping him chained 24/7 and whatever else it tkaes to keep him from breaking out)if not, i sugest you start considering it now. (He REALLY needs to be in one)_

"Oh, _that's_ a perfectly normal reaction. Honestly, as much as he gets on my nerves, Black*Star doesn't need that."

_Who do you love? Like, romantically love?_

Maka flushed, speaking through grit teeth. "None of your damn business, that's who."

_Have you read the Warriors Saga? (If not, i highly suggest you do, its an amazing series with around 30 books in the series)_

"If I can get some time on my hands, I might give it a try."

Maka tossed the letter aside, sighing as she opened her next one. "Why do I have this sneaking suspicion that I'm going to be getting a bad one soon?"

Crona gulped. "B-Because we're just unlucky…?"

"Sounds about right."

_Do you like L from Death Note?_

"Uh…he's…interesting? I guess?"

_What do you think of crona?_

Maka grinned, reaching over and hugging Crona. "Oh, he's just my bestest best friend in the whole wide world, that's all."

Crona blushed heavily, giving a small smile in reply.

_What would you do if crona was kicked out of the DWMA?_

"Then there wouldn't _be_ a DWMA anymore."

Crona faltered slightly. "W-What do you mean…?"

"One thing you should know about me, Crona: When I get really, really mad, I get creative. So I'm sure I can find a way to burn a brick building to the ground, given the proper motivation."

Crona flushed, looking down at his feet. "You…you would really go that far…for me…?"

Maka blinked, then gave Crona another hug. "Did you miss the whole "bestest best friend in the whole wide world" thing I said a few seconds ago? Yes, I would, without a second thought."

Crona opened his mouth to speak, but Maka held up a finger to silence him.

"And don't you dare turn around and say you aren't worth it. I say you are, so you are. End of discussion. Alright?"

"Y-Yes ma'am…"

_Try reading Breaking Point by Roving Otter it really is not that bad and it is pretty acurate._

"Yeah, hope you realize that I'll be taking that recommendation with a grain of salt."

Maka tossed the letter aside and grabbed the next one.

_Did you come up with the Maka-Chop yourself, or what?_

"No, my mother taught me. As her mother taught her, and her mother before her, and so on, and so on."

_I watched the last episode of the anime again, and as much as the 'punch of courage' thing or whatever annoyed me, how is it possible that no one had to be hospitalized. Seriously, after you had your weapon moment, it looked like his grip would have at least broken a rib._

"Who's to say we weren't hospitalized? Just because you didn't see it, doesn't mean it didn't happen."

Maka sighed, opening her last letter. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret saying that…"

Crona blinked. "Why…?"

"Because they can easily use that as an excuse for whatever psychotic idea they have for their story being canon."

"…I'd ask for an example, but I don't think I want one…"

"No, you really don't."

_Seems that if someone references a specific chapter and page then it immediately shows up in your memory but let's say that if I said:-_

_Chapter 4 page 39_

Both Maka and Crona flinched as the image in question appeared in their minds.

_Would it immediately pop up in your mind? Also would it work if it had other forms like; Chapter 4 last page or the chapter where Soul gets gutted like a fish and Maka shouldn't blindly call someone a fangirl? Would it work?_

Maka stared at the letter, the room having gone deathly quiet. Without even looking, she knew that Crona was most likely staring at his feet again, feeling guilty for his actions.

She quietly turned the letter on its side and slowly ripped it in half. She then placed the two halves together and ripped them again. Then she did the same for the quarters. Then the eighths. Then the sixteenths. And so on. And so on.

When she felt she had done enough, she dropped the pieces of paper on the ground, dusting her hands afterwards. By this point, Crona had since looked up at her, having watched her tear the letter apart, almost hypnotized by the slow, careful pace to it. He was now anxiously waiting for what her next action would be.

When she finally spoke, it was in an unusually calm voice.

"You know…you're right." Maka began. "I shouldn't have called you a fangirl. Because, as much as I hate on our fans, boys or girls, they at least like us. You clearly do not. No, what you are is, plain and simple, a sadist. A poor, sad, pathetic excuse for a human being, who gets off on other people's pain."

Her voice began to rise. "But I can say this about you: You are just _barely_ underneath our esteemed host in terms of sadism. And that's only because you actually admit to your nature, whereas he tries to act like he's still a decent human being! But that doesn't change what you are, nor does it change the fact that you should've been put down like a dog at birth!"

She had got to her feet, her anger now very, very evident. "You see, I've dealt with people like you before. I know what you really are. Underneath your tough façade, you're really just a child. A weak, spoilt child who likes to break his toys because it gives him a warm, fuzzy feeling in his gut. And like a child, you throw temper tantrums when things don't go the way you expect, which is why I'm bothering to talk to you right now. Because I _dared_ to call you a fangirl."

She had started to shake, glaring up at the screen as though it was responsible for her mood. "Wake-up call, numbnuts! I can call you whatever the fuck I want to call you, and there isn't jack nor shit that you can do about it! I can say your father was ass-raped in prison by about every other person in there, as well as most of the guards! I can say the only reason you even exist was because your mother sold herself for about 10 cents per person! Yes, I can actually call you the son of a thousand fathers, all of them bastards like you! _How exactly do you plan on stopping me_?"

Her hands had tightened into fists, the words coming out of her mouth drenched with pure hate. "But let me tell you what you _can_ do. Right now, you can get on your knees, and you can pray. You can pray to whatever pathetic excuse for a God that you believe in that the very, very small possibility of us meeting face to face never, ever happens. Because if it does, there is nothing on this planet…no, in the entirety of existence, that will stop me from _strangling you with your small intestine_!"

With that, she flopped back into her seat, face red from her rant. She sat for a few minutes, fuming silently, trying as hard as possible to calm herself down before she broke the first thing she could get her hands on. She glanced over to see what Crona was doing.

She saw that he was staring at her in shock, his mouth hanging open. She wasn't sure if it was a positive or a negative reaction, which instantly worried her.

"…see? Told you I get creative when I get mad." she said, giving a wiry smile while doing so.

Crona's mouth slowly closed, yet the look of shock was still evident on his face. His head eventually lowered, his face now difficult to see.

…_great, now I've upset him…_ Maka thought bitterly.

"Sorry…I just need a minute to calm down…"

She blinked in surprise when Crona's hand gripped her arm. His voice was very shaky when he spoke.

"C-C-Can…can I help? …somehow…?"

Maka stared at Crona for a few seconds, before placing a hand under his chin, gently tilting his head up to look at her. She gave him a small smile before answering.

"Well…there's the usual method."

His expression changed to one of confusion for a moment, before he gave a slight "oh" of understanding. He straightened up before reaching forward and wrapping Maka in a hug. She quickly did the same, squeezing him tight while her face fell into his shoulder.

He flinched slightly, expecting tears or muffled screams of frustration. Instead, all that he felt was Maka's hot breath against his shoulder, indicating that she was trying to calm down. He gently rubbed her back, which seemed to be the right move to make, as her breathing slowly changed to a normal rate. Finally, he felt her give a long sigh before raising her head.

"No one threatens you, Crona. Not ever."

Crona blinked in surprise. _…wait, what?_

He slowly pulled away in order to look at Maka's face.

"Maka…that was directed at _you_…"

Maka nodded. "I know…but, even so, he did threaten you, indirectly. And I won't let anyone do that. No matter who they are."

Crona's expression of shock returned, once again staring at Maka in disbelief. This caused Maka to give another smile, arms still around Crona.

"Do I need to refer to the "bestest best friend" thing again?"

What Maka didn't expect right then was for Crona to give a small laugh in response, returning her smile with one of his own.

"…unless I'm hearing things, I believe you just _laughed_, good sir."

Crona blushed, eyes looking off to the side. "Y-Yeah…just a little one."

Maka moved forward, hugging Crona again. After another quick squeeze, she pulled away again.

"Geez…all that and we haven't even got to _your_ letters yet."

Crona looked at his pile of letters, giving a slight gulp. "I'm not so sure I want to now…"

Maka sighed as Crona reluctantly grabbed his first one. "I knew I should've brought the paper shredder like I planned…"

_I'm not a fangirl, but I'd like to let you know you're definitely my favorite. (Right next to Kid. I can't choose.)_

"…how does Kid have so many fans, anyway…?"

Maka shrugged. "I guess our fans like goofy things. Hence why Gopher's only claim to fan love is his stupid lip thing."

_You're such an interesting person, and really, I'm intrigued by you. You've got this whole thing about you where it's just impossible to not like you. Stay strong man. You're super :)_

Crona blushed at the compliment, and his blush only got larger when he felt Maka give him a small poke on the cheek.

"Well, she's definitely right about that "impossible to not like" part."

…_my face feels like it's on fire…_ Crona thought, his blush getting brighter and brighter.

_Whats your favorite jellybean flavor?_

"Licorice…but I haven't exactly had a craving for jellybeans lately…"

Maka sighed. "Crona, honestly, you shouldn't let what an incredibly creepy fangirl says prevent you from doing something you like."

"B-But…like you said…she was incredibly creepy."

"I think we can consider that par for the course now."

_Do you have a favorite flower?_

"N-No, not really…"

_Until a few minutes ago, that is…_ Crona thought.

_Do you like reading fanfics about Soul Eater, or other fandoms better?_

"Other fandoms. Definitely, definitely other fandoms."

_Sugar cookies, or chocolate chip?_

"Ch-Chocolate chip…"

Maka grinned as Crona opened his next letter. "So _that's_ what's been happening to our chocolate chip cookies…"

"S-Sorry!"

Maka simply giggled in response.

_You seem to be pretty flexible. Have you ever tried yoga?_

"No…I've never really been interested in that…"

He then looked over his shoulder. "Ragnarok, there's a question for you…"

That familiar _splortch_ echoed out as Ragnarok uncurled from Crona's back, peering over his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm up, let's get this over with."

Maka raised an eyebrow. "What's with you?"

"I know this is going to end badly somehow, and I have a chance of getting out of here, whereas you poor suckers don't! So the sooner my little bit is done, the sooner I can go back to sleep!"

_Do you believe in karma?_

"Hell no I don't! Because no matter what I did wrong, I can tell you I did _not_ deserve to be stuck like this for the rest of my life!"

Crona gave a small sigh, letting Ragnarok's comment go as he opened his next letter.

"Yours are first, Ragnarok…"

"Good! Let's hurry the fuck up already!"

_Why are you so mean?_

"…_hello_? Look at me! Look at my current situation! Look at who I'm stuck to! Why wouldn't I be in a permanently bad mood?"

_Whats your favorite thing to eat? If you have a favorite that is._

"Lady, if I was going to tell you everything I like to eat, we'd be here all day."

_Is there something that scares you?_

"Excalibur."

Both Maka and Crona looked up at Ragnarok in surprise.

"…hey, neither of you know the guy like I do! Why do you think I've kept us as far away as possible from him?"

_Which, of all the different forms you`ve taken, is your favorite?_

"I liked it when we were a pre-Kishin, if only because I actually got to have some swords of my own!"

Crona shuddered. "C-Can you please not bring that up…?"

"Oh, get over it already!"

_Of all of Crona`s friends, who is your favorite? Or rather, who can you tolerate best?_

"The one who gets on my nerves the least is Soul, and that's only because he doesn't talk every five freakin' seconds!"

_Yeah i guess i was a bit hypocritical (which i again apologize for). But who isnt from time to time? Arent you usually a hypocrite?_

"I'm sorry, I can't understand you over your hypocrisy!"

_Are you a secret Brony? Do you watch My Little Pony Friendship is Magic when everyone is asleep?_

_Which is your favorite pony? Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? Rarity? Twilight Sparkle? Apple Jack? Oh i bet its Pinkie Pie! Its Pinkie Pie isnt it?_

Crona gave a small squeak before quickly covering his ears. Maka reflexively did the same, though she wasn't entirely sure why.

A couple of seconds later, when Ragnarok gave a literal room-shaking scream, she understood.

"_That_! _Is_! _IT_! If I hear one more word about those goddamned ponies, I'm killing _everybody_! Every single person I can get my hands on _dies_! Dies horrible bloody deaths involving cannibalism and…and…trees! I will think of a way to kill people with fucking trees! I swear I fucking will!"

Maka leaned over to whisper to Crona. "I'm getting serious Snails vibes from him…"

Crona simply nodded, but quickly stopped when Ragnarok leaned down in between them, glaring at Maka.

"I don't even know who the fuck that is and I can tell you that you're flat out _wrong_! Whoever that is I am nothing like them! I'm not some pansy-ass future-glue-factory-victim for you to coo and gush over! So you can take your character comparisons and-"

He stopped, suddenly coming to a realization. "…wait…"

He then turned to look at Crona, a very dangerous glint in his eyes.

"You…you _agreed_ with her…"

Crona gave another squeak before picking up the letter again.

"S-So, next question for you is-URK!"

He was cut off by Ragnarok grabbing him by the collar and starting to shake him back and forth.

"_I knew it_! She fucking turned you, didn't she? She got you into those godforsaken ponies, didn't she? _Why_? Why do you keep doing this to me? Why can't you ever have any pride in your manhood? Why do I have to keep providing the testosterone for the both of us? _WHYYYYYYY_?"

"R-R-Ragnarok, c-c-can you ple-e-ease stop do-o-o-ing that? I'm ge-e-etting di-i-i-zzy!"

Ragnarok only stopped when Maka grabbed his head, pulling back so that he was staring at her, hanging upside down.

"You want to know what I think?"

"_Does it look like I do_?" Ragnarok shouted.

"Too bad, it was a rhetorical question."

She let go of his head, which hung there, glaring at her while she continued.

"See, the way I look at it, it's a good thing that he's willing to show that he likes something like that. It's a sign that he's comfortable with who he is."

"…you know what?" Ragnarok replied.

"What?"

"That doesn't change the fact that _he likes those goddamned ponies_!"

Maka sighed, shaking her head. "You're hopeless."

"Hey, you know what? Fuck you."

Ragnarok then moved back over Crona's head. "And fuck you too, pansy! Now hurry up with the rest of those questions so I can go back and act like this conversation never happened!"

Crona gave a small groan as he returned to the letter.

_How many times have you been Maka Chopped?_

"Fuck if I know! Since she likes to do it at the drop of a hat, I lost count ages ago!"

"_MAKA CHOP_!"

Ragnarok howled in pain, clutching at his head before glaring at Maka.

"_What the fuck was that for_?"

Maka gave a very cheeky grin. "Well, apparently I like to do it at the "drop of a hat", sooooo…"

Ragnarok gave an incoherent sputter, before throwing his hands up in the air and looking back at the letter.

_What do you do when you are inside of Crona? Is it just like going to sleep?_

"Oh, if only! And even though it's usually muffled in there, I can still hear what's going on pretty well! It's like living with a roommate, and the walls are made of fucking wax paper!"

_Do you ever feel lonely?_

"Lady, I _wish_ I had that luxury!"

Ragnarok then gave another frustrated shout before diving back into Crona's body. Maka blinked, something popping up in her mind.

"Oh! That's right, I completely forgot about that!"

Crona watched as Maka suddenly pulled something out from her coat, but before he could get a good look at it, she quickly hid it behind her back.

"F-Forgot what?"

Maka tilted her head, giving Crona a wide smile.

"I got you a present, Crona!"

Crona blinked. _She got me a present? She actually got me something?_

"W-What's the occasion?"

"Oh, nothing special. I just saw it and I thought you might like it."

She pulled the object out from behind her and placed it in Crona's hands.

"Here you go!"

Crona looked down at the object in question. He soon gave a low gasp when his eyes fell on it.

He recognized the yellow skin, the pink hair, the feathered wings, and the shy look in its eyes. He gave it a small squeeze with his fingers, feeling the fabric that made the plush toy.

Maka leaned over, smile still on her face. "Your favourite one, right?"

Crona gave a small nod, still staring at it.

Maka grinned. "I take it you like it?"

Crona nodded again, slowly hugging the plush toy to his chest.

"Th-th-th-th-th-th-th-"

Maka giggled slightly. "Would that be a "thank you" you're trying to spit out?"

Crona nodded again.

Maka gently wrapped her arms around him. "You're very welcome, Crona."

She gave a small "umph" as Crona suddenly turned in his seat and hugged her back. She felt him squeezing her tighter than he ever did, and had to gently pat his back in response.

"Um, Crona? I appreciate the enthusiasm, but you're hugging me a little too tight…"

She heard him give a small squeak, before quickly letting go and returning to his seat, face bright red.

"S-S-Sorry…it's just…you've never given me a present before…"

Maka blinked, not realizing that fact. "I haven't?"

Crona shook his head, hugging the plush toy while doing so, almost as though he expected someone to snatch it away as soon as he let go of it.

Maka frowned. "Huh."

_I wonder if he's going to react like that every time I give him something…_ she wondered as Crona looked back at the letter.

_Ever tried meditation? It may help, even if just a little._

"Well…it works for Raven, so maybe…"

_What is your favorite musical instrument? To listen to i mean._

"Flutes…they're very calming…"

_You seem to like flowers. Any favorite kind in particular?_

"…didn't I just get this question…?"

_Sorry for causing you discomfort._

"A-Apology accepted…"

_Which general subject do you enjoy most? (ex. English, math, science, history)_

"English, I guess…"

_What is your personal dream? Like if you could start over and do or be anything you wanted what would it be?_

"…I'll have to think about that one…"

_Sorry again that i am, well, a "fangirl". But the reason that many girls are a fan of you i think is because there really arent many guys out there with a heart as pure as yours, especially considering all the mess you had been forced to go though. Sometimes i dont think there are any. You are an astounding character for ending up as kindhearted as you are. I guess some fangirls just find hope that, despite the odds, there may be a decent guy out there somewhere when they see you, even though they know that you are, well to us at least, fictional. Any girl who has you as a friend is a lucky person._

Crona stared at the letter, mouth hanging open slightly in surprise. He could feel his face getting hotter and hotter as he tried not to think about the implications of that.

"_Pure heart"? "Kindhearted"? "Decent guy"? Is…is that really true? But what does all that mean…? Is…is she just talking about as a friend, or…_

Crona's thoughts were interrupted by Maka's arms encircling him again, her head resting on his shoulder once again. He heard her give a small "mmm" as she held him, but try as he might to use this to calm himself, these thoughts just wouldn't go away. In fact, it only made Crona think about them more.

_Could I…could I really be good…in that way? _he wondered, face still red.

"_Any girl who has you as a friend is a lucky person"…hm, talk about understatements…_ Maka thought.

_Besides Maka, who can you say that you admire the most?_

"…can I get back to you on that…?"

_Have you ever kept a journal?_

"N-No…but I've thought about it…"

_Do you know how to swim?_

"Y-Yes…but I don't really like to…"

Maka tilted her head while Crona opened his next letter. "Why don't you like to swim?"

"Too many bad experiences…"

_Have you ever though of some classes to help boost your own self confidence? If not, i'm sure there are some somewhere_

"…they have classes for that?"

_It never showed you taking any missions as a DWMA student, (I dont count that incident with Giriko a mission cuz it was some trial thing right?) Have you gone on ANY missions?_

Crona twitched involuntarily at the mention of Giriko's name, before answering. "W-Well…I have been on a couple, mostly just to help out whoever I'm with…but I haven't got any souls yet…"

_Have you ever heard of the song Dancing Lasha Tumbai? (Doesnt it make u wanna jump up and do a jig? XD)_

"Uh…I've never heard of it…"

_Have you any favorite books?_

"Not at the moment…"

_do you play any computer games?_

"No, I don't own a computer…or a TV, for that matter…"

Maka frowned as Crona opened the next letter. "You know, you could just ask for things like that…"

"I-I don't think there are any outlets in my room…"

Crona blinked in surprise. "Oh…this one is for us both…"

_Favorite drink?_

"Coke Zero." Crona replied.

"Hot chocolate." Maka added.

_If you could spend anywhere with anybody/bodies where and who?_

Maka tilted her head. "Well, that's a pretty general question. I can't exactly answer that without taking a while to think about it."

Crona blushed, not answering.

_Can either of you cook really well?_

Maka smiled. "Well, certain people like to think I'm some sort of master chef, but really, they're overselling my abilities."

Crona looked down. "I tried it a couple of times…but I don't think I'm very good…"

Maka patted Crona's shoulder as he opened his next letter. "It just takes practice, is all. Besides, those brownies you made that one time were pretty good."

Crona flushed. "B-But…the cookies…"

"…that was just a freak mishap, is all."

_Who is your favorite person?_

Crona blushed brightly. _Good thing Subarashii isn't here, or he'd never stop talking about how obvious this is…_

Maka leaned over, cheeky smile on her face. "Weeeeeeeeell?"

Crona blinked. "H-Huh?"

"Your favourite person. Who is it?"

Crona's blush grew heavier. "Y-Y-You…o-of course…"

Maka giggled, reaching over and hugging him again.

"I know. I just like hearing you say it."

_Mental note: say that to her every day._ Crona thought.

_What would you do if maka had died protecting you?_

Crona gave a loud gasp, the letter falling out of his hands. He quickly started to hyperventilate, his hands grasping his own arms, his entire body shaking out of pure fear.

Maka quickly grasped his face, turning it to look at her.

"Crona! Crona, it's OK! I'm right here! Relax!"

Crona stared at Maka, his breath still coming in brief, rapid gasps. His breaths began to slow, but only to turn into sobs, as tears began to well up in Crona's eyes.

Maka quickly pulled him into a tight hug, his face falling into her shoulder. She squeezed him closer as he sobbed into her.

"I don't want you to go…I don't want to lose you…"

She gently shushed him, rubbing his back while whispering to him. "It's OK…I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. It's OK…"

It took a good five minutes, but eventually, Crona's sobs stopped. He slowly pulled away from Maka, looking into her eyes. Maka gave a small sigh, then gently reached up and brushed away his tears, a small, comforting smile on her face.

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, Crona. You have nothing to worry about."

Crona gave a small sniffle. "S-Sorry…I can't…I can't help thinking about that…"

"I know. Believe me, I know how scary that can be. But there's no way of knowing if that will happen. You can't go worrying about all the "what ifs", Crona. That's that overthinking thing I mentioned earlier."

Maka gently rubbed his cheek, the smile still on her face. "Please, just focus on the here and now. OK?"

Crona gave another sniffle, then slowly nodded.

"O-OK…"

_You are my second favorite male anime character hope you and maka are happy together_

Both of them quickly blushed at that, Maka's hand going over her face to cover hers.

_Yeah, she says that immediately after asking that question…why do we have such stupid people as our fans?_ Maka wondered.

_PS maka hit ragnorok for me._

"Already did, but I'm sure I can find a good reason to do so later."

Crona could swear he heard a grumble come from his back as he opened his next letter.

_What was going through your head when Maka got taken over by the black blood?_

"…can we just not talk about that?"

_What do you do when our bored?_

"I usually just walk around the city…"

Maka frowned as Crona opened his last letter. "Why not just come visit me?"

"Th-The time of day…"

"…Crona-"

"I-I mean it's early! Early in the day! B-Before anyone's awake!"

"…so you haven't been skipping sleep?"

"N-No…"

"Good."

_Were there really no good memories of Snakey McTentacleRape (aka Medusa)_

Crona twitched, his hands shaking. He slowly put the letter down, head lowered and face obscured.

"Crona-" Maka began, but was suddenly cut off by Crona raising a hand in front of her.

"P-Please…j-just…let me say this…"

Maka frowned, but nodded. "OK…"

Crona lowered his hand, placing it with his other in his lap. He took a few deep, shaky breaths, before speaking.

"…I killed her…because she showed me kindness, for the very first time in my entire life. Not once…before then, did she ever say a nice word, or give a nice gesture, or do anything even remotely kind to or for me. I killed her because it is _impossible_ for her to be kind…and I was right. Because she knew I would kill her, and deliberately made me react that way..."

His head rose to look at the screen, his bitterness clear in his voice.

"But then again…you should know that already, shouldn't you?"

With that, he got to his feet, and walked over to the table, grabbing the envelope atop it and opening it.

_Going by your respective personalities, your time allotted here, and just general common sense, I can tell you will not enjoy this one. It shouldn't take too long, though, so just grin and bear it as best as you can._

_The story is called "a new problemor two" by Will. A. Lii._

_Good luck._

"_Problemor"?_ Crona thought as he walked back to his seat. He sat back down, giving a small sigh while doing so.

He felt Maka's hand gently grasp his own, and turned to look at her, noticing the concerned frown on her face. 

"Are you alright…?" she asked.

Crona looked down, then slowly shook his head. He then gave Maka's hand a small squeeze.

"A-Are you…?"

Maka blinked, then sighed, returning the hand squeeze. "I can safely say I've been in better moods than this…"

She then leaned against his side, her hand still holding his. "Well, they say misery loves company…"

_Does it ever…_ Crona thought as the show began.

/

**I do not own Soul**

Maka: I should hope not!

**I did so many other things would of happened.**

Crona: And we're probably going to see a few of those right now…

**WACK!**

**Something hit my face waking me up.**

Maka: Great, POV again. Can anyone actually attempt _not_ writing in first-person?

**"What are you doing?"I ask tiredly**

**"Get up Light!"My twin sister Star yells**

Crona: …t-t-two OCs…POV from one of them…I'm not going to make it through this one…

**"Go away,"I roll over**

**"Get up!We have school!"She hollars ,pounding me with her pillow**

Maka: Oh, please let that pillow be filled with bricks…

Crona: We aren't that lucky…

**"Fine,fine gesh you`re annoying,"I grumble as I climb down from the top bunk**

**"Just hurry up!"She yells and runs out.I quickly brush through my hair but I run thruogh it messing it up again.I have chin lenth,uneven messy black hair,my bangs fall infront of eyes which are light emrould.I wear a black sweater , red plaid skinny jeans and black my sweaters so it looks like its holding it together at the top is a yellow and blue bow, on the right side over my chest is a red tie,a zipper pockety an my left and on my left arm is a red and black checkered pocket,a lose think yellow belt slants towards my left on it is a dark blue my nexck is a red choker with a very detailed eight point star.**

Crona: And they're Sues, too…

Maka: I thought that was obvious.

Crona: It's not until they devote a paragraph to what they look like that they're really Sues…

**I walk out of Stars and my room and go down to the kitchen where I see Dad cooking.**

**Dad has long past his shoulder blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, his eyes are ice blue under black wears a knee length black jacket,its really fancey , you can`t see his actul shirt but you can his black dress pants and his black lifts,he has white gloves and a tall black top hat.**

Crona: They're going to describe the parents too?

Maka: Wait…who the hell wears a top hat as part of their usual outfit?

Crona: …demented Tim Burton fans?

Maka: That wouldn't surprise me…

**I steal his plate of bacon and eggs and when his toast pops I snatch that it then lazily sit in the lazy boy in the living room and turn on the tv.**

**"Hey thats mine!"**

**"Finders keepers,"**

**"It was on the counter!"**

**"Where I found it , there for it is mine."Dad shakes his head**

**"Where did you learn how to twist facts?"**

**"My mom,"He smiles as he looks at a picture of her,My mom was a tall beautiful woman with long flowing raven hair and sparkling emrould we were young when she died so thats all I really know about her.**

Maka: Sooooooo…if you don't know anything about her, how do you know you inherited anything from her? Wow, not even a quarter of the way through this chapter and we're already finding inconsistencies!

**"Honestly Light stop being improper,"Star says"Sit at the table."I sigh and sit at the kitchen looks exactly like me only her hairs neat and has two clip placed on either side of her wears a think loose off the shoulder yellow long sleave shirt, a shoet dark blue jean skirt,striped yellow and blue socks that almost reach her skirt,high heeles ankle on the left side of her chest is a eight way black and red bow,on the right is white bottens,a safty pin with a chain hanging off to the right is a thick red belt on it is a black her neck is blue choker with a eight point star.**

Maka: We get it, they think they're punks! Move on already!

Crona: They won't…they'll describe every single minute detail about themselves but say nothing about anyone else…it's happening again, it's _Tempation_ again!

Maka: …was it really that bad?

Crona: _Yes_.

**"Girls I have some news concerning work,"Dad says sitting down,we look at never talks about work,**

Crona: Wait, talks about what?

Maka: I noticed that earlier too. They keep leaving out little spots of dialogue for some strange reason.

Crona: Those are pretty big mistakes to just miss…

**hell I don`t even know what he does all I know is he comes home sometimes he`ll come home injured.**

Maka: This is what happens when you don't unionize.

**"What about it Dad?"I ask**

**"I`ve gotten notice that I might have to go to a differnt section,in a differnt country."**

**"So we might have to move?"Star askes**

Crona: …no, I'd say chances are pretty big that you _are_ going to move.

**"Yes,and its to a place I`d rather you not go , though I know you`d love it partners coming if we do go,"**

**"Mom`s going?"**

Crona: Wait, she just said her mom was dead!

Maka: Hmm…for the hell of it, let's just chalk it up to them being able to talk to her ghost.

Crona: But that would mean another character they would have to describe in detail!

Maka: …they already kind of did.

Crona: …oh, right.

**I ask,when I say mom I don`t mean our mother,or a stepmother or even a girl at is D.J. my Dads bestfriend scince preschool.D.J.`s not gay he and Dad are in no relation,we just call him mom because he takes care of us and said we`re like his family so we started calling him mom out of joke now its habbit.**

Crona: Well, that was…needlessly long…

Maka: That'd describe about 99% of the fanfics we've read.

**"If we go,but I`m not sure we are.I want you to think about you want to go we will."**

**"Okay Dad we`ll think on it,"Star sees the clock**

**"Morning news is on!"She runs to the living roll our eyes and follow**

Crona: …"living roll"?

Maka: What, did this person spontaneously press the delete key and forget to fix it afterwards?

**"Huh...Thats odd."**

**"Whats up?"I ask sitting in my chair**

**"Last night around supper time six kids went out,"**

**"Whats so odd about that?"**

**"None retruned."**

**"That is odd."**

Maka: And incredibly obvious statements are incredibly obvious!

**Dad says sitting on the arm of my lazy boy the screen then shows pictures of the kids**

**"Hey they`re in our scince class."I say**

**"Yeah,"We hear the door leading from our garage open and hurried footsteps.**

**"Faith!Faith!"Mom lives in the garage we`ve asked if he`d like to live in the actul house but he said no.**

Maka: …why?

Crona: Maybe the garage is more comfortable…?

**He walks into the living room has shortish shagy , uneven dark brown hair and chocolate brown wears a black dress coat over a black graphfic t-shirt,he has dark blue baggy jeans and a black fancey hat.I forget what their called.**

Maka: …"black fancy hat". Wow, award-winning description there.

**"Did ya hear `bout the kids?"**

**"Yes."**

**"Does it have to do with...?"**

**"I`m not `t `t he of told us?"**

**"I don`t know"**

Crona: Neither do I, I have no idea what you just said…

**Dad looks at us**

**"Girls its time for school,"He hands us our bags**

**"Bye Dad,Mom!"Star calls as she walks out**

**"Later!"I call**

**"Have a good day!"Dad yells**

**"See ya!"We walk to the bus stop and steped onto the bus**

Maka: Which then catches on fire. The End.

Crona: …that feels significant, somehow…

**Star and I walk outside for talks to her friends while I sit reading a manga-Soul eater**

Crona: …we don't exist in their world?

Maka: Oh, great, this is going to turn into one of those "real life people entering fictional world" stories, isn't it? Fantastic.

**there are quite a few differinces between Star and I ,one she is a girlygirl and I am a tomboy,she`s more social and everything has to be perfict I perfer to be alone and have evrything messied up.**

Maka: "In other words, we're token opposites. Because those are automatically interesting characters!"

**"Ligh why do you always read instead of talking?"Star askes**

Maka: "You expect me to have anything interesting to say? What are you, nuts?"

**"I just do,"**

**"Well-"**

**"Hey!Hey look!"A kid yells,we look,we see a boy limping across the leg is being dragged behind I`m guess its broken,his shrit is torn and covered blood.,he was on the and I run to him and help him to a pinic table.**

Crona: He was on the what? The mickey? The drugs? The roof? Stop leaving these things out, I can't tell what's going on!

**"What happned?"Star askes**

**"That."he says turn and see a tall thing its skin is streached over its sceleton tightly and is a sickly gray it`s hands are long sharpe looking blades hope I don`t find out how sharpe they face in a permit fanged grin.**

Maka: …really? You couldn't even come up with an original pre-Kishin? You used Jack?

Crona: I thought you said we shouldn't expect these people to think…

Maka: …good point.

**"W-what is that?"I yell wait...If he`s being chased by it..."Wheres the others?"**

**"It killed...them..."Then he fell limp,I checked his palse nothing.I close my eyes and do a silent prayer then I look up at the stares at us then and I jump up ,bending backwards,our hands on the table and flip so we`re standing on look at each other**

**"How`d we do that?"We askThe thing made a skin crawling noise**

Crona: …I thought "skin crawling" was just an expression. And even if it wasn't, what noise would that even make?

**we look at it it raises its arm and swings down we push off of the table,it cuts the table in charges again and we try to doudge eccept we don`t we get we land on grass,we stand and it charges again,I doudge but Star doesn`t ,she flies back into a wall.**

**"Star!"I yells,it walks towards her.I move without thinking I run towards it.I jump off a picnic table and kick it hard in the head.I land infront of thing step back,it raises its arm,I throw out a hand,a rush goes through my body,making me tingel from head to toe,power courses down my arm and out my fingers throwing it ten feet away.I stare at my hands.**

Maka: Wait, wait, wait a second! You mean to tell me that she just spontaneously knows how to project her Soul Wavelength? You can't just suddenly do that! Professor Stein said it took _years_ of training for him to be able to do that! I'm still surprised Black*Star can do it at his age! Hell, I _still_ can't do it myself!

Crona: …Sue…

Maka: Oh, right. …it's still annoying!

**What was that?It stands I stare at it and it charges.I pull Star out of the charges again and swings ,we fly through the air ,painfully landing on car windshuilds.I can feel the glass peirce my skin we stand and it swings again.I fly into another car Star into a tree**

Crona: …shouldn't they be dead by now?

Maka: Sues.

Crona: …we're going to be using that a lot, aren't we?

Maka: Looks like it.

**still she stands and it charges at her,she raises a arm to shuild herself but her arm starts glowing purple,when it stops glowing its a yellow and blue blade,it cuts deep into the things arm**

**"No way..."This is like Soul eater**

Maka: I thought they weren't in our world yet. How is this even happening?

Crona: …maybe they used to be in our world, but then moved to the real world?

Maka: The sad part is is that's probably the case.

**her arm anyway and that thing looks like a pre-kishion if I can wield her then...we might stand a chance"Star"I yell running to her,fear and confusion is in her eyes."I need you to figur out how to turn into a full wepon!"**

**"How?"**

**"I don`t know!"It swings and we duck"Just do it!"**

Maka: Well, how can a plan like _that_ fail?

**We doudge as it swings again.I run away from Star"HEY!"I yell and chuck a rock at it,it turns and starts after me,I run as it chases after me ,it knocks down trees and flips cars as it runs after me my hearts as beating faster then a cheetah can run ,fear ices my stomach but I keep runnng inlucky for me I meet a dead end.I quickly turn hoping to run out before it catches to bad that didn`t work.I press my back against the wall maybe it won`t hurt...yeah right!It raises its arm,suddently a large yellow and blue boobarange**

Maka: Pfffffft! *starts laughing*

Crona: …I probably shouldn't think too hard about that one, huh?

Maka: *between laughs* Definitely not…

**(like Songo`s from Inuyasha)**

Maka: …wow, now all potential humour is ruined. Way to go.

**hit it in the head before landing ibnfront of me,in a flash its Star.**

**"You`re a boomarange!"I yell**

Crona: To be fair, they're at least using a different weapon…just about everyone else would use something generic, like a katana or a gun or something like that…

**"Guess so."We turn towards it**

**"How we gunna get out of this?"**

**"The only way we can,right?We`re gonna fight"Fear makes Star shake,its in her eyes and on her face She`s more scared then me.I mean at least I know whats happening even if I`m confused to why.I nod she glows purple but instead of a booarange a sword appers.**

Crona: …I'll just take that back now…

**"You`re a dark arm!"**

**"A what?"**

**"You can turn into more then one wepon!"**

Maka: _Of course she is_! God forbid you pick one weapon and stick with it! No, you're just so super-special awesome that you can turn into more than one!

**The thing roars turning our attention back to it.I pick up Star she`s lighter then I thought she` s swings I block it then swing it jumps back and I charge,swinging wildly.I manage to cut it a swingd and I duck and swing cutting it`s arm it roars and swings we go fling back,my head collids with a flag world swims**

**"Light!Light!"Star yells turning back to human beside me"light!"Light!"My head achs with raw pain"Light!"**

**"Star...my head hurts,"She propes me up and looks at my head,her hands come away covered in red.**

**"Light!"She yells**

**"I`m...tired..."My eyelids droop**

**"No Light!You have to stay awake!You have to stay with me!"I look at my sister,her clothes are dirty, blood soaks one sleave and I can see a deep cut,her hairs matted and covered with face shows she`s tears make me angry,it burns in my stomach it burns in my takes the place of most of the pain.**

Crona: …that would probably be a very touching and dramatic moment…if I had any idea what this fic was saying.

**I sit up strighter ingoring the stab of pain.I stand and almost fall,Star helps stare up at itWhat amI gunna do?Star to torn up to turn into a wapon, and in the condition I`m in I probly can`t wield her anyway.I take her hand**

**"If we die,"**

**"We die together,"This is a promise we made when we were things,**

Crona: When you were things?

Maka: That raises more than a few questions…

**we throw out of handsThe same power coursees through me,out my hand eccept this time its way,way,way wind picks up,car get picked up by the wind,the thing flies into a building.**

Crona: Wait…did they just put their Soul Wavelength into the air?

Maka: …_you have got to be kidding me_! You would need a _massive_ Soul Wavelength to be able to do that! Like on Lord Death's level! …I hate Sues _so much right now_!

**Star and I fall,that took all our try to regain our charges and this time theres nothing we can slam our eyes shut waiting for the pain for the it never comes.**

**"Light!Star!"Dad voice rings out**

**"Are you okay?"Moms voioce open our eyes we see Dad kneeling infront of us but no Mom or the thing that attacked a staff.**

Crona: *sighs* Or a staff…not like that hasn't be done about fifty times…

**"Girls!"Dad yells hugging us tightly"You`re okay I thought I`d be too late!"His face holds fear of looseing us.**

**"As long as we weren`t,"Mom voice says staff starts glowing and turns into Mom he hugs us."How`d you survive?"**

**"S-Star turned i-into a b-boomarange t-then a s-sword,"I say shakily.**

**"Y-yeah and L-Light wielded m-me,"Star says just as and Dad look at each other.**

**"Did anything else happen?"Mom askes**

**" we made it fly through the air without touching it."They look at each other again.**

**"Come on we have a lot to do,"Dad says helping us gives me his coat and Mom gives Star his.**

**"Why?"**

**"`Cause we`re moving"**

Maka: "I knew we shouldn't have come to Jersey, but did anyone listen to me? Hell no! We're going back to Pittsburgh!"

**"Dad we`re ready!"Star and I just finished packing we changed and tended to our wounds.**

**"all right!"Dad calls"D.J. call him!"**

**"Kay!"Mom carry our bags down**

**"Girls theres a slight problem."Dad says**

**"Whats up?"**

Maka: "You're both Mary Sues and therefore, we've disowned you."

Crona: …wouldn't that just add to their token tragic backstory?

Maka: …_goddammit_!

**"Well in such notice I couldn`t buy a big enough apartment only two small ones that hold two,"**

**"So Star and I will be living on our own?"**

**"Yes."We look at each other**

**"Awsome!"We say together**

Maka: Yeah, until you hook up with whichever one of the guys you're going to hook up with.

Crona: *shudders* Please don't jinx it, Maka…

**"I`ll be just down the street,"**

**"Okay I called him!"Mom calls**

**"Come on girls,"Dad says**

**"Wait Dad how come all this is like Soul eater?"**

Maka: A valid question! "Dad", your response?

**I ask he pauses**

**"...Cause it go,"**

Maka: …that wasn't even close to an answer! Good _or_ bad! It wasn't even a complete sentence! Author, _proofread_!

**We follow Dad into the living room Moms there but no laggege.**

Crona: …I can't even begin to guess what that last word is.

**"Mom wheres you`re stuff?"Star askes.**

**"Already there."We stare at him questionaly.**

**"Girls hand me your hand them to Dad**

**"Mom do you know where we`re going?'**

**"Yes,"**

**"Girls,"Dada says we turn to him"Meet Shinigami-sama"He steps to the side and we our tv is a tall man in a black cloak and a cartoon mask.**

**"Sup?Suuuup?"He says I look at Star and we smile**

**"Yo!"Star says**

**"Yo!"**

Crona: …they seem oddly OK with talking to Lord Death, even though they initially thought he wasn't real…

**"Its time to go."Dad says**

**"How?"**

**"Like this."Mom climbs through the tv,then helps me and Star then finally Dad.**

Maka: …I…you…it…they…_they actually went into the TV_? I…I am honestly stunned. I didn't think they'd go there, but they did! Just…holy Hell, I can't believe I just saw that!

**"Wow!"Star and I say in are standing on a circle platform,around us is blue sky but theres windows to sighn that we`re inside,theres sand and crosses,leading away from us is a path lined with arch like gilottens.**

Crona: …arch-like gelatins?

**"Staffmaster Faith,"Dad says**

**"Staff D.J."Mom says there bowing**

**"Are we supose to bow?"Star whispers**

**"I don`t know,"I whisper back**

**"Its good to see ya Faith-kun,D.J.-kun!"Shinigami-sama says**

Maka: OK, I'm half-Japanese and I don't go around calling everyone "-san" or '-kun" or whatever. So why are the people with zero Japanese blood in them making everyone in these fanfics use honorifics?

Crona: …because they think it's more authentic?

Maka: Well, it isn't. In fact, it just comes off as tacky.

**"Faith!D.J.!"A man with chin length red hair calls he wars a black suit,if I remember correctly he`s Spirit or Death scythe.**

Maka: _Joy_.

**"Spirit!"Dad calls they hug"Its been awhile!Hows Maka and you`re wife?"Tears gather in Spirits eyes**

**"Wah!"He cries in a corner...like Tamaki from Ouran high school host club...**

Maka: Yeah, we don't need you to keep comparing us to other animes, we can stand on our own, thank you.

**"Uh did I hit a nerve?"**

**"Spirit-senpai and his wife are Maka**

Both: AGH!

Maka: I hate the terrible writing in this fic, I hate it, I hate it, _I hate it_!

**hates him." We turn to see a man with short messy,ineven gray hair walking towards has glassees a screw in his head and a long wears a lap coat,a gray turtel neck sweater and black jeans and black `s Stein...I think.**

Crona: You don't need to describe him, we already know who he is…

**"Stein!"Dad calls they hug**

Maka: Professor Stein…hugging?

Crona: But he doesn't hug people! Not even Professor Marie! …not without her going first, anyway…

**"How ya been?"**

**"Fine thank you have you been?"**

**"Great."**

**"Hey,hey don`t I get a welcoming to?"Mom asks jokeingly but serous at the same time.**

**"Of course D.J.-senpai,"Stein says they hug.**

**"Um Mom Dad whats going on?'Star ask**

**"Mom?"Stein asks"Wow I knew Faith-senpai played on that team but not you D.J.-senpai.**

Crona: …so, one of them is gay?

Maka: I just _know_ this is going to end with the other being "turned gay" for the requisite happy marriage bullcrap. I just _know_.

**"I don`t,it`s just a nick name."**

**"So these are your girls?They`ve grown quite a bit compared to last I saw them"Stein says**

**"Yeah,last we saw them they were Two feet high."Spirit says.**

**"I still have pictures of them playing with Maka"**

Maka: Oh, _come on_! Now the Sues were apparently my friends or whatever while I was growing up! Can we get any more clichéd here?

**Dad says"There in my bag somewhere,"Dad starts through his bag**

**"Dad!"we yell"No baby pictures!"**

**"All right,all right"Dad says smiling"I`ll show them later."**

**"Dad!"**

**"Well Faith-kun,what made you deside to come?"Shinigami-sama askes**

**"My girls were attcked by a pre-kishin,"**

**"Oh my!Girls would you like to join DWMA?"**

Maka: *head hits tray* Aaaaaaaaaagh!

Crona: …I can safely say that you don't get into the academy just because you were attacked by a pre-Kishin.

**"Yes!"I say automaticaly**

**"...I guess"**

**"Great!FAith-kun,D.J.-kun have you explained anything to them?"**

**"Uh no but Light reads Soul eater so...'**

**"She knows some stuff."**

Crona: Is anyone going to explain that…?

Maka: Do you really want to see this person's hackneyed explanation for this gigantic plothole?

Crona: …some sort of explanation would be nice…

**"Okay!Okay!Girls!DWMA was made to protect and presurve the peace from the kishin!"**

**"Kishin?"Star askes**

**"A kishin is a person whose strayed from the path of good,"I say"Right?"**

Maka: There's also that whole "eating souls" thing, but that's no big deal.

**"Right!"Shinigami-same continued to explain after awhile he asks"Have you ever seen a witch?"We shake our heads he looks at Dad who looks away"Hm...All right girls!Why don`t you go look around?"**

**"Okay!"We leave**

**"Light."**

**"You noticed it to?That was a excuse to get us to leave."**

**"But why?"**

**"I`m guessing it has to do with a witch,"**

Maka: Oh, gee, you think so?

**"Yeah...Hey lets explore!"**

**"Yeah!"**

Crona: I guess that wasn't _that_ big of a concern to them…

Maka: Either that or they have ADD. Which wouldn't surprise me at all.

**We run down the found the class crescent moon and a few other cool places.**

Crona: …examples?

Maka: You expect them to know about more than one classroom?

Crona: Good point…

**"Dude this place is awsome!"I doesn`t answer"Star?"I turn Stars no where in sight"Star?"I yell"Star?"I start walking "Star?"Panic covers my voice as I run down the stairs.**

**Stars POV**

**I run after Light as we look around the stop**

Maka: Oh, _not again_! Pick a point of view and stay with it!

**"Dude this place is awsome!"Light yells.I open my mouth to answer but a soft melody distracts me.I follow the music.I end up in a dark room,theres only one lamp and no only furniture in here is a piano.A boy with spiky white hair sits at it,his back to me as he musics dark erie,dark and gets darker as it goes,but thats what draws me in.I move music falls to a close and the last note hangs in the air,he starts another he relise I`m here?He stops halfway and turns.I bearly see his crimson eyes before I run.**

Maka: Figures. Sucks to be Soul right now.

**Light`s POV**

**"Star!"I yell"Star!"I run down stairs and halls`Star!Ì yell louder.I hear foot steps and run faster`Star!Ì turn the corner and**

**WACK!**

**Run smack into someone,we fall to the floor**

**"Im so sorry!"Ì yell jumping up.`They have black neat hair with three white strips**

Crona: It would be Kid…

Maka: I still say our fans have weird reasons to like characters. Nothing against Kid, but his OCD isn't supposed to be endearing…I think…

**" I am so sorry but I have to find my sister!"Ì run leaving them stareing after me"Star!"**

**"Light!"I hear Stars voice,we meet up both out of breath.**

**"Star where were you?"**

**"I`m sorry!Lets just go!"**

**"Yeah!"We run to find Dad.**

**No one POV**

Maka: Oh for…why not just stick with that? Is it really so hard to write from third-person?

**The white haired boy turns just in time to see a black haired girl run out.**

**"Hm...wonder who that was."He stands and shuts off the lamp"Oh well,"He walks out ,hands in his pockets"Its so uncool thinkin `bout it,"**

Crona: …well…at least he didn't use his catchphrase as his first line…

**He turns to see a boy with black hair and three white strips on the floor."Why`re you on the floor Kid?"He askes helping him up.**

**"Soul."He says."I was knocked over by a girl with black said they were looking for they`re sister."**

**"Black hair?A person with black hair just ran away from me .Don`t know who it was though."**

**"Strange."**

Crona: "But not strange enough for this to end with a "you're twins!" surprise or anything! That would just be silly!"

**Pounding on my door woke me up.**

Crona: …didn't we just read something like this?

**"Go away." I say and roll over and cover my head with my blankets.**

**"Get up Light! We start school today!" Start school today? Oh! I sit up.**

Maka: Maybe the author was trying to be clever by referencing the opening of the first chapter. Key term being "trying".

**"I'm coming!" I get up. My walls are painted red , my furniture black. My comfier is black with a red creepy moon. My room has the air of creepiness.**

Maka: …so are you a punk or an emo? 'Cause I'm getting some mixed messages here.

**I walk into the kitchen, I sit down as Star cooks. Wonder if I'll see that boy today, who was he anyway?**

**Stars POV**

**I cook Lights food, We're starting school today! I can't wait! Maybe I'll meet that boy. Wonder what his name is.**

**Lights POV**

Maka: The hell was the point of jumping POVs for one sentence?

Crona: …to purposely antagonize us?

Maka: Would not surprise me at all.

**Star and I walk to the school in silence. Both of us more then a little nervous. We walk inside, people stare and whisper.**

**"Star I'm gunna go find the bathroom,"**

**"Oh I'll go with you,"**

**"No go find the class I'll catch up."**

**"Kay," I run off down the hall. I don't have to use the bathroom I'm just nervous. Now where was it? I think it was something around here. I turn the corner and run into someone luckily this time we don't fall. I look up to see it's the same person I ran into yesterday, now that I can see their face better. I can see they have gold eyes and a cute face. They wear a black buttoned up dress coat, with a white button up dress shirt held together with a skull, black dress pant and black dress shoes.**

Maka: We know what Kid looks like, you don't have to describe him!

Crona: Wait…she actually read Soul Eater, so shouldn't she know who Kid is?

Maka: …well, considering where that plot line is probably going to go, I imagine it's for unnecessary mystery. So that the "romance" is heightened or something.

Crona: …that doesn't sound very convincing…

Maka: Well, what more can you expect with this author?

**"Sorry!" I yell "I'm so sorry! I did it yesterday too! I am so sorry!"**

**"Its all right,"**

**"I`m so so so sorry! I have to go!"I run back the way I came.**

Maka: See?

Crona: Would that be why she's overreacting…?

Maka: I imagine so.

**Stars POV**

**I head towards class,but just like yesterday I hear piano and I follow it into the same room. I see the same white hair I saw yesterday. I move into the room. He pauses writes something down and plays something then writes again ,then he scribbles it out.**

**"Not good enough." He murmurs**

**"I liked it," I say before I realised I had. He turns ,my face goes red. Now I can see him clearly, his eyes are crimson, he has a white headband, a black and yellow sweater and red skinny jeans and black and yellow sneakers. "I-I'm sorry for esdroping! I'm sorry I did it yesterday! I-I'll just go!" and I run**

**"Wait!" He calls but still I run" What is up with her running?"**

Maka: Because we need unnecessary drama, Soul! Honestly, it's like you've never been in a bad fanfic before!

**No ones POV**

**"Hey Kid," Soul says**

**"Hi Soul…"**

**"What's up?"**

**"I ran into that girl again. Literally"**

**"Seriously? I ran into the girl I saw too."**

**"Wonder who they are."**

Crona: "They"? So we aren't doing the surprise reveal of them being twins…? That's a bit unexpected…

Maka: Yeah, I figured they'd definitely go for that cliché.

**"No clue. But hey did ya hear about the new students? They supposed to have black hair,"**

**"Do you think its them?"**

**"No reason it ain`t,"**

Maka: So, it has to be the new students despite having only one physical trait to go on, a high likelihood of there being plenty of new students arriving at any given day, and the fact that there's _no way_ they would know every student in the school?

Crona: …how convenient.

**"True. Lets go." They start off to find the new students" If anyone knows where they are it'll be Black * Star, cause he'll want to find them.'**

**"Yeah," They find Black*Star. He has spiky blue hair and blue eyes. He wears a black tank top and white pants and blak and white shoes and fingerless gloves.**

Maka: _We know what he looks like_!

**"Yo BS," Soul says**

Maka: …*snickers*

**"Hey Soul, Kid," He says.**

**"Hello Soul,Kid,"A girl beside him,she has very long black hair tied in a high ponytail,she wears a tan tank top with a star on it,a long skirt that has a split all the way up and white boots and gloves.**

Maka: Oh for the love of…why are you wasting our time with these descriptions?

**"Hey Tsubaki,"**

**"Black *Star do you know where the new students are?"**

**"What? New students?"**

**"You didn't know? Everyone talking `bout them,"**

**"What? They should be talking bout me! The great Black* Star! I will find these people who threaten to show off more then me!" He runs off**

**"Wait Black * Star!" Tsubaki yells running after him**

**"Well he usually finds the people he's looking for so…"Kid says**

**"Fallow that idiot!"**

Crona: That sounds like the title to a really cheap comedy…

**They run after him. As they ran around the school they got a name:Hosito.**

Maka: Oh, so it's not "Twinkleshine" or "Sparklenight" or anything like that? Colour me surprised.

**"Hey! New kids come and fight the great Black * Star!" Black * Star yells. Kid sighs**

**"We still haven't found them,"**

**"Yeah," Soul turns in time to see Star turn a corner" Kid there! I saw her!"**

**"Come on then!" They run ,Kid taking out his skate board. They turn the corner but see no one" That way!" Kid points to a corner. Soul and him run. Kid flies as fast as possible shooting past a girl who was tying her shoe. She stood.**

**"There you are!" Soul yells. The girl turns,**

**"Uh hello?"**

**"What's up with you? I`ve been looking for you!"**

**"Do I know you?"**

**"You know, the piano! You ran after you said you liked my song!"**

**"No I th-"She thinks for a moment" Oh! I have to go!" She runs.**

Maka: …why? Why do you need to run away? You're not crashing into him, it's not an embarrassing situation at all! What the hell?

**Kid sees a girl up ahead**

**"Hey!" He calls, she turns**

**"Can I help you?"**

**"Why'd you run those time?"**

**"Run?"**

**"When we ran into each other. You ran."**

**"I didn't…"she pauses" Oh! I have to go!"**

Maka: _Why is everyone running_?

Crona: I think my head's starting to hurt from all this nonsense…

**Star ran fast to Light who ran equally as fast to Star.**

**"Someone's looking for you!" They say at the same time "Me? Really? Who?"**

**"A dude with black hair!" Star says**

**"A dude with white hair!" Light says**

**"Oh…"They say together" Their looking for me?" The bell ring sending student to their classes.**

Crona: …they used the "talking at the same time" cliché instead…

**"Come on will think about it later,"**

**I meet the girl and she runs again," Soul says**

**"Same, Lets get to class." They leave**

**"Hey! Come on cowards!" Black*Star yells**

**Lights POV**

**We enter the class room at Stein's call**

**"Introduce yourself ,"He says, we turn to the class**

**"You!" Two voices yell. Its the boy I ran into and the one who was looking for Star.**

**"Soul, Kid quiet," Stein says" Go ahead girls,"**

**"Hello we are the Hosito twins," we say together**

**"I am Light,"**

**"I am Star,"**

**"I'm a miester,"**

**"I'm a weapon,"**

**"Good go sit,"**

Maka: *sighs* a) We never had to do the stupid "introduction" thing. b) If we did, I can safely bet we'd need more than that!

**We sit, there's only two seats left. By the boy with black hair. Stein takes attendance." Where's Black * Star?" We hear yelling**

**"Being a idiot." A few people say.**

**"Then the usual," He continues the attendance. The black haired boy turns to me and the white haired boy looks up to Star. They stare at us.**

**"Uh h-hello, sorry for the hit and run," I say. Two girls watch us. One a tall one has long dirty blonde hair , she wears a red tank belly button top , a silver tie and blue jeans and black high heeled next one is shorter and has short dirty blonde hair ,she wears the same top and tie their boots are the same to the only difference is she has jean shorts.**

Maka: …you know what, I'm not even going to bother anymore. You want to waste time with needless descriptions, you go right ahead.

Crona: Why do people feel the need to pad their stories out…?

**"Star said you were looking for me,"**

**"Why did you run?"**

**"H-hi…"Star says nervously**

**"Hi. Why'd you run after hearing me play?"**

**"W-well.." a girl with blonde hair in pigtails watches. She wears a long black coat, white button up shirt, a green tie, a yellow vest a red plaid pleated shirts and boots.**

Maka: …I don't wear the coat to school, you know.

**"I kinda thought you'd be mad…"**

**"I'm not mad, but I was looking for you.I`m Soul,"**

**"Star."**

**"So um I'm Light,"**

**"Death the kid."**

**"Awesome name!"**

**"Thanks"**

**"Speaking of star where's Black * Star?" The pigtailed girl askes "And Tsubaki?"**

**"Probably lookin for Light and Star,"**

**"Why?" We ask**

**"He always wants to have a match with the new students,"**

Maka: Not _always_. He picked a fight with Kid because everyone was talking about him, not because he was new.

**"Oh , I don't think we're ready for a match yet Light," Star says**

**"Yeah maybe we can avoid him,"**

**"Impossible," They all say together**

**"Soul, Kid, Maka, Light, Star if you have something to discuses do it later. And Light, Star I don't think you want me telling Faith-senpai and D.J.-senpai you were talking in class." Stein says. I look at Star Dad we can handle, Mom not so much.**

**"Do whatever, I'm going for a smoke," Stein says and wheels his chair out.**

Crona: …since when does Professor Stein leave to smoke? And I don't see him abandoning class just to do that…

**"Hi I'm Maka, Souls partner." The pigtail says**

**"Oh hi,"**

**"Hey,"**

**"I'm Liz and this is my twin Patti. We're Kids weapons." The tall one says.**

**"Hiya! Hahahahaahaaha!" Patti laughs.**

Both: *facepalm*

Maka: First. Friggin'. Sentence.

**"Care to explain how you know Kid and Soul?"**

**"Lets just say we ran into each other," I say, a knock on the door gets everyone's attention and in walk two people I`d rather not see at school.**

**"Dad!" Star and I yell**

**"Light! Star!" He yells "How are my sweet adorable daughters?"**

Maka: Hey! He's just like Maes Hughes from Fullmetal Alchemist! …yeah, belittling, isn't it?

**"Dad!" We yell, red face, some students laugh. We run down to Dad "What are you two doing here?"**

**"Can't a Dad come see his daughters?"**

**"Not when they're in class! Mom why didn't you stop him?" Students start whispering but we pay no mind" You have to go!" we push them towards the door**

**"Why?" Mom asks as we push them**

**"Cause we said so!" We open the door and in rolls Stein**

**"Oh hello Faith-senpai, D.J.-senpai"**

**"Hi Stein!" Dad says a tad girly.**

**"Hey Stein," Mom says**

**"What are you two doing here?"**

**"We came to see the girls!"**

**"I see, well your welcome to stay if you wish,"**

Crona: …that's not normal, is it?

Maka: No, not at all.

**"No!"**

**"Thank you Stein!" Dad and Mom fallow him in. Sadly we fallow, we start towards Kid and the others" Oh no you don't! I came to see my girls!" Dad says grabbing us.**

**"Dad let go! Come on Dad! Mom help!"**

**"Sorry girls" He says simply**

**"Dad!" people openly laugh not trying to hide it, We look up to Kid and the others their trying not to laugh, well at least their putting in effort. Kid sends me a look of pity. We give trying to get away and sit on the floor by Mom and Dads legs.**

Maka: …in fact, it's kind of creepy.

Crona: And needlessly embarrassing, it seems…

Maka: That too…

**Finally the bell rings and we`re out of there before Dad can catch us. We lean against a wall and sigh.**

**"That was the most humiliating thing they could do!" I yell**

**"How could Mom let Dad do that?"**

**"So you're parents are gay?" a voice beside us say. Making us jump**

**"Kid! Don't do that!" I put a hand over my heart**

**"Sorry ,so are they?"**

**"Only our Dad .Mom and him aren't together. Its only a nickname. Unfortunately. We don't have a Mom so he took her place."**

**"Oh you have a mom? Neither does Maka."**

Maka: Hey! That's personal! Don't go discussing that with two total strangers!

**"Did she die?"**

**"No, my Dad cheated on her so she left."**

**"Are you mad at her?"**

Crona: …wait, why would you be mad at _her_?

Maka: *teeth grit* _Very good question_.

**"No I`m mad at my dad."**

**"Why?"**

**"Because he cheated on her."**

Maka: Fucking _DUH_!

**"Right…we don`t have to worry but that. Mom was his only one even now he promised never to love another girl because he says it`ll feel like cheating."**

**"So dedicated…"Liz trails off**

Maka: And realistic! *rolls eyes*

**"Yep" We go outside. Suddenly someone in front of me. A bluenette and a raven haired. This must be Black*Star and Tsubaki.**

Crona: …"bluenette"?

**"Hey! I finally I found you! You can but not for long `cause I the great Black * Star wants a battle!" He yells**

**"No," I say and start walking he block my way**

**"Scared you can't beat the mighty Black*Star?"**

**"No I just don't to fight."**

**"Sure! That's the most used excuse! Your just scared!Don`t worry the great Black*Star will let you keep your dignity!"**

**"Look I`m not scared!Why don`t you just go!"**

**"Sure your not!Haha!Its okay to be scared!"I clench my and ground my teeth,anger burning in my eyes.**

**"Ligh,"Star warns.I close my eyes and take a deep breath and turn**

**"Yeah you run!"And I snap .I turn quickly and punch him in the face,he stumbles others stare at me**

**"So fast…"**

**"Listen, you freak!I don`t wanna fight,so get yourself centered ass away from me before I cut open you`re throat!"Black *Stars face gets serous.**

**"You dare threaten me?I`ll kill ya!"he swings and I duck.**

**"That's it!"I throw out a hand and he flies back,he flips and lands he charnges as soon as he lands. He swings over and somehow without touching him I block,finally he gets so mad he tackels me to the ground.I punch him and flip wrestle on the ground rolling towards the stairs which we fall down,but still we fight.**

Maka: Soooooo, what was the point to this again?

Crona: To show that Sue number 1 has an anger management problem?

Maka: …can you even tell the difference between the two Sues?

Crona: Not really…

**"Hey!"A voice shouts and suddenly we`re lifted into the person who picked us up has blue skin,dread locks and wears a t-shirt and baggy jeans. "Fighting without a teacher present is against the rules!"**

**"What?"I yell"Thanks a lot Black*Star because of you I`m getting in troble on my first day!"**

**"You challenged me!"**

**"I did not!I didn`t wanna fight,but did you listen?Noooo!"**

**"Oh yeah?"**

**"Yeah!"**

Maka: Apparently, she's actually seven years old.

**We try to hit each other,but the dude holding us hit us together**

**"Ow!"We yell holding our heads.**

**"Stop fighting!I was never the type of man who over looked fights when I was a live!"What?He`s a zombie?Oh right!I remember there`s a zombie dude in Soul eater he`s like Sid or something!**

Crona: …author, can you please explain the point of making her a reader of the series if you're not going to use the knowledge she could have?

**"I`m taking you to the new teachers!"New teachers?Oh shit!**

**"No!No!Anyone else!Please not them!"**

**"Whats up with you?Their just new teachers."Black*Star says**

**"One is my father!"**

**"Oh shit."**

Crona: Wait, her parents are teachers too?

Maka: Then what were they supposed to be teaching when they were being creepy with their kids?

**"Yeah!"Star and the others watch us "Guys help!He`s taking me to Dad!"**

**"Oh no,"Star says"Dear shinigami please protect her!"**

**"Star!"**

**"Bye!"She yells smiling**

**"Hey!When I get home your so dead!"**

**Sis dropped us in a room**

Crona: I thought you just left your sister…

**"Stay here."**

**"Sid-sensei a big guy like me can`t get in trouble!"Sid just walks out**

**"Great,this is just great!You know this is your fault right?"I ask crossing my arms over my chest.**

**"Its your fault as much as its mine!"**

**"Is not you started it!"**

**"You punched me first!"**

**"You called me a coward!"**

**"Did not! I just said you were scared!"**

**"Same thing!"**

**"Is not!"**

**"Is too!"**

**"Grrr!"**

**"Grrr!"**

Maka: _Shut up_! Dear God, it's like her presence alone makes Black*Star ten times more annoying than he usually is!

Crona: She is a Sue, after all…

**We tackel each other "Amit it!You started it!"**

**"You amit it!"The door opens**

**"I have nothing to amit! Its your fault!"**

**"No its not!"**

**"Is too!"**

**"yes!"**

Crona: What are they supposed to be "amitting", anyway?

**"Am-"we get hit on the head"Ow!"We hold our sore heads**

**"Why`d you do-"I look up"Oh hi Dad ,Mom"I say smiling just cross their arms and stare at me angerly.I sigh my smiling fadeing.I look they know how to make someone fell bad.I sit qiutly waiting for the blabk*Star.**

**"Hey!Teacher dudes!The great Black*Star demands you let him out of here!"He yells I grab his arm and pull him to the ground**

**"Shut up you ideot!"**

**"Why don`t you?"**

**"Hey don`t blame me when you get into shit because you cant shut your trap!"**

**"Why you-"**

**"Are you don`t yet?"Mom askes**

Crona: …I can't even think of anything clever for that.

**"yes sir,"We say**

**"So what happned ?"Dad askes**

**"Well he called me a coward-"**

**"She punched me and-"We start talking at the same time**

**"Quiet!"we fall silent"Your punishment is cleaning the school."Dad says**

Maka: Uh…what about something simple, like…detention?

**"But Dad its huge!"**

**"Theres no way!"**

**"Do it."**

**"Yessir…"We stand and left us to *Star sits**

**"Hey Ego boy get your ass cleaning."**

**"This is below a god like can do it."My eye twitches.I pick up a bucket of water and chuck it at him."Hey!"I stick out my tonge,he picks up his bucket and throws it on me.I shrick.**

Crona: *winces* That sounds potentially fatal…

Maka: One can hope.

**"Hey!"he smirks , I glare at him then pick up a soap bottle and skurt him**

Maka: …do you even care about trying to make this seem good?

**, he does the end up having a soap war.**

**"Light,Black*Star hows the cl-"Dad `re on the floor out of breathe and the place is covered in bubbles."What happned?"We point at each other**

**"They…did…it…"Then we fall to sleep.**

Maka: …so, what, was that supposed to be them getting along or something? I really have no clue what the hell is going on.

**"Hi guys!" Star yells as we walk towards the school.**

**"Hey!" Maka calls**

**"Hey,"Soul says**

**"Hello Star, light." kid says**

**"Hey Kid,hey guys"I say**

**"H-hi,"a small voice says,we turn**

**'Oh hey Crona!"Maka says**

Maka: *twitch*

**"H-hi Maka,"Crona has short uneven lavender hair,and wears a black dress.**

Both: It's a robe.

**"Crona this is Star and Light," Liz says**

**"Hi!"**

**"Hey,"**

**"H-hello,"a black blob popped out of Cronas back**

**"Hey!look more tiny tits!"The thing yells**

**"Tiny,"Star starts**

**"Tits,"I finish**

**"Creep!"We yell and .**

Crona: …and what? Yell and do a silly dance? Yell and convert to Scientology? Yell and spontaneously combust? …can it be that last one?

**Crona goes jaw drops. "Oh sorry Crona!"We yell running to him.**

**"I-its okay,"**

**"Ow!Fuckin bitches!"**

Crona: Yell and hit me, apparently…

Maka: For once, I agree with Ragnarok.

**"ragnarok please stop,"Crona say"Huh?Shut up!"It pinches Crona`s nose.**

**"No!Stop!I ccan`t deal with this!"**

**"Ragnark stop picking on Crona!"Maka says**

**"Shut up Bookworm1"**

**"Maka-chop!"She hits him"Sorry Crona!"**

**"Its s`okay,"Crona says a little dizy**

Maka: Oh for-_it was one time_!

**"So how`d it go last night?"Liz asks**

**"Black*Star and I ended up having a soap war,"**

**"Which I so won!"**

**"Did not BS!"**

**"Did too!"**

**"Did not!"**

**"Grrr!"**

**"Grrr!"**

Maka: For God's sake, _shut the hell up_!

**Someone clears their throat,we look up**

**"Oh hi Dad,Mom."I say**

**"Your not fighting again are you,"**

**"noo,"We say sweetly**

**"Uh huh,"**

**"So Dad what ya doing?"Star asks**

**"We were walking to work when we heared Light and Black* are these you`re new friends?"**

**"Yeah Dad,Mom this is Maka,Liz,Patti,Tsubaki,Black*Star,"Star says**

**"Kid,Soul and Crona and uh that thing on Crona`s shoulders is Ragnarok."I say**

**"You Light,Star now that I look at you I`ve relized something,"Kid says looking us over**

**"Yeah?"**

**" NOT SYMATRICAL!"**

Both: Of course.

**he yells "Light your hairs too messy!And why on the left arm do you have that pocket yet not on the right!And that tie!The belt!Why?And Star your outfit only has one bow!And the bottens!The belt!Why aren`t you two symmetrical?"**

**"Uh what?"We say,while the others sigh.**

**"Let me fix it!"He to fix my hair,I doudge**

**"Hey!"I yell**

**"Let me fix it!"I tries again,I grab his hands as he wrestles with me**

**"Get your hands off my daughter!"Dad yells ,him and Mom try to grab Kid but he pushes them away**

**"Just let me fix it!"**

**"No!Kid stop!"**

**"It`ll only take a minute!Then you`ll be perfitly symmetrical!"**

**"But you`re not symatr ical!"He falls to the ground**

**"I`m trash!Asymatrical garbage!I should die!"Star,Dad,Mom and me stare at him**

Maka: Does anyone even try to factor in Kid's development when they write?

Crona: And still, why are they acting like this is new? Light supposedly read the series, and both their parents are former students and current teachers! Why wouldn't they know these things?

**"Is he all right?"Star askes**

**"Is anyone around here okay?"Liz says simply**

**"…Oh."**

Maka: It's sad how Liz has a point there.

**"Kyahahahaha!"Patti laughs**

Crona: …should we-

Maka: Don't bother, it's pretty much expected by this point.

**"I`m not worthy to be a shinigami!I`m pathetic!"**

**"You got that right Kid,"I say**

Maka: Bitch.

**"Wah!"He bawls.I sigh and roll my eyes.I kneel next to him**

**"Oh come on Kid you`r not garbage,"**

**"I-I`m not?"He looks at me with tear filled …he really is cute!**

**"Of course not!You`re a shinigami!Now get up before I Light-chop you!"**

Crona: …uh-oh.

Maka: _Your entire family will BURN for that_!

**I say holding up a jumps up"Good boy."**

**"Looks like we have another Maka,"Soul says**

**"What?"I ask**

**"Maka does the Maka-chop,"Tsubaki explains**

Maka: Explaining your poor attempt at humour won't automatically make it funny!

**"-chop!"She hits Soul hard in the head**

**"Ow!Fuck Maka!"Soul yells.**

Crona: …why'd she do that?

Maka: Because the author has no originality whatsoever, that's why!

**"Well we gotta go,"Dad says"Have a good day girls,"He hugs us**

**"See ya,have fun"Mom says hugging us**

**"Bye!Dad don`t forget lunch!"Star calls**

**"Lunch?Oh damn!"He hits himself in the head"Thanks Star!"He runs sighs**

**"Later!"He runs after Dad.**

**"So ya guys gonna take a mission anytime soon?"Soul askes**

**"A mission?"Star and I ask**

**"Yeah so you can start collecting souls,"Maka says**

**"I don`t know…I mean its only our third day in Death city,"I say**

**"You`ll do fine!"Maka says**

Maka: "I say that despite not knowing anything about your fighting abilities or any experiences you've had with pre-Kishins!"

Crona: Maybe she's secretly hoping they'll get themselves killed?

Maka: …this other me is smarter than I expected.

**"I don`t know,"Star says**

**"Don`t worry!The great Black*Star believes in you!"**

**"Shut it BS."**

Maka: You got that right, this _is_ BS…

**"Are we ready Light?"**

**"Maybe…"**

**"You`re ready,go on,"Kid says**

**"Yeah,"liz agrees**

**"I agree too,"Tsubaki says**

**"Y-yeah,"Crona says**

**"…`ll think 'bout it during class,"I say**

**"well we better get going then"**

Maka: So, enjoy your gratuitous cameo, Crona?

Crona: It could've gone a lot worse, I suppose…wait, how can you be sure I won't come back?

Maka: …are you saying you _want_ to be in this?

Crona: …never mind…

**We head to I talk to Star.**

**"Star maybe we should take a mission,"**

**"But Light do you think we`re tready?"**

**"I don`t know,but the guys do so…"**

**"If we do we`ll have to take a easy one,"**

**"Yeah…So do you want to?"**

**"…sure,"**

**"Okay,I`ll find Kid and he can help us pick out a mission."I run off to find Kid.I run down the stairs and right into fall "Sorry"I look up"Oh!Kid!"I jump up,a little red faced."Sorry"I help him up**

Maka: Really? You're not even going to _try_ to do something different? Just crashing into him again?

Crona: Maybe it's supposed to be a character trait? Or a running gag?

Maka: A running gag is supposed to be funny, remember?

*SELF-DEPRECIATVE HUMOUR AWAY!*

Both: WAH!

Maka: Why does that keep popping up?

**'You said that,"**

**"Oh righ sorry,"My face goes even redder as I relised I did it again"Sorry."my face turns cherry" I did it again sorry!Damn it!Sorry!Sorry!Fuck!So-"**

**"Light,calm, down,"**

**"Sorry,"I say quietly,my face super red**

Maka: And people say you're apologetic, Crona.

Crona: *blushes*

**"Whats up?"**

**"Oh right!Star and I want you to help us pick out a mission!"**

**" go,"I nod and we walk away**

**Stars POV**

**Light runs off to find Kid.I wonder can we really be ready for this?Or are we rushing into it?**

**"Star?"I look up "Whats wrong?"**

**"Soul,its just Light and I desided to take a I`m wondering if we can really do it,"**

**"I think you can."**

**"Really?"**

**"Yeah,Light looks pretty strong and fast and you're her weapon.I think you can do it,"**

Maka: …is Soul in on the "letting them get killed" plan?

Crona: If it makes you happy…

**"But I`m scared."**

**"Everyone is on their first even I get a little worried every now and then and I fought Asura."**

Crona: …so, despite Light reading the manga, this is the anime continuity?

Maka: I think we can pretty much toss that subplot out the window by now, Crona.

**"I guess its normal for everyone to get scared,"**

**" if you still don`t believe me then here,"he takes something out of his four point star takes out my other clips and puts them in my hair."For good luck,"My face goes bright red, I touch them**

**"W-why would you give them to me?"**

**"Didn`t I tell ya?For good luck."**

**"T-thank you…"**

**"No prob,do you best on the mission kay?Don`t worry `bout winning just think about comin home alive,"I nod"Well I got to go,"He turns**

**"Oh bye…"**

**"Bye"He turns his head"Star you better come back."**

**"I will."**

**"Good,"he leaves,I reach up and touch clips would he give me these?Why did he even have them?**

Maka: Token romance that isn't even close to how an actual romance would go, of course!

**"Star?You okay?"I turn**

**"Hi Light,Kid,"**

**"Youre face is you have a fever?"Light checks my forehead**

**"I`m thinking."**

**"Okay,lets go pick out a mission,"I nod and we walk to the mission looked over them,an arm acrossed him chest,holding up the other arm as he holds his chin as he takes down three.**

**"These would be the best for your first mission."We look at them"The first choice.A group of three kids have started murdering people,for vigerous reason."**

Crona: …"vigorous reasons"? What, is it good exercise?

**"Three?Shouldn`t we go for one with only one person first?'I ask,he puts it back**

**"Next.A lady has been kidnapping and murdering kids for about a year,"**

**"shes escaped the cops for a year?She`s to use top killing,"light says he puts it on the board**

**"Lastly.A man has started raping girls late at night and started killing them latly,"**

Crona: *twitch*

Maka: Of course. Because if we need a token villain, he needs to be a rapist. Why not?

**"Well its only one,"I say**

**"and he hasn`t been doing it for a long time,"Light says**

**"Guess will do that one,"we take it**

**"Thanks Kid!"Light says smiling**

**"No problem ,good luck Light,"**

**"Thanks!"**

Maka: Hmm, two underage girls going after a rapist. What could possibly go wrong?

**A man corners a girl and pins her against the wall,she screams and he laughs**

**"Hey!"light calls,the man looks at us**

**"Go,"I say to the girl,she runs**

**"We`re gunna take you`re soul,"He smiles and charges,we doudge"Star scythe mode!"**

**"Right!"I turn into a scythe**

Maka: *facepalm*

Crona: …just to clarify, Dark Arms usually have a theme to them. Tsubaki can turn into a chain-scythe, shuriken, smoke bomb, knife, and sword all because they're weapons a ninja like Black*Star would use. She didn't just pick the weapons out of a hat or anything.

Maka: But following a theme and not just turning into whatever you wanted to wouldn't be Sueish enough.

**"Hm…she turns into a two will be wonderfull to try,"**

**"Keep dreamin dude!"Light yells and swings me at him,he runs and jumps swinging me he blocks us,she turns and `s arm is a blade,he runs at us an dswings,cutting Light.**

**"Light!You okay?"**

**'Yeah,"She runs at swings sending us lets me go.I turn to my human picks her up by hair.**

**"Gah!""Hehehe,you will be most enjoyable,"**

Maka: …do you have any idea what just happened?

Crona: Not really…

**"Don`t you dare!"His smile widens as he pins her,holding her wrists to unzips her sweater and it falls off reveling her v-neck red has a chopper cross and skull and of the colors are red and her wrist are thick black spiked bracelets.**

Maka: Wow, you're describing what she's wearing when she's about to be raped. This author really needs to sort out their priorities.

**"Light!"I yell and run towards them he pushes me back**

**"I`m gunna fuck you,then you`re sister,"**

**"If you so much as touch her I`ll kill you!"He laughs.I stare wide eyed as his hand slides down her froze my body,I can`t move I can`t do anything.I knew we weren`t rerady!But Light told me otherwise,and Soul he believed in me!I promised I`d come home!He gave me the clips for good luck and I can`t even do anything!Tears fall from my eyes,he unbottens Lights jeans and starts to pull them down.**

Maka: _Do something, you stupid bitch_! Don't just sit there crying your eyes because "oooh, I can't do anything"! How is it that a turn-into-whatever-you-want Dark Arm is so weak?

*silence*

Maka: …that question wasn't rhetorical, Crona.

Crona: I-I know, I just know you won't like the answer…

Maka: …you're right, I don't.

**"Get your fuckin hands off me!"She yells and knees him in a place the sun don`t staggers back**

**"Fuckin bitch!"**

**"You perv!I`m gunn fuckin distroy you!"Rage flamed in her eyes she punched him and he flew back a good 15 feet**

Crona: Wasn't this fic supposed to be rated T…?

**"Star,"**

**"R-right,"I turn into a short sward**

**"Its no use,not even bullets effect me."**

**"Then it's a good I`m not using a gun,"Light says and cutting him in two.**

Maka: …*stands up* _TRY_!

**I turn back**

**"…I sorta don `t wanna eat his was a creep."**

**"Just do it."Light says"Shinigami I`m fuckin pissed!I want to kill him 10x over!"She kicks a street light creating a giant puts on her sweater.**

Crona: …*squints* She kicked a street light, which created a giant that put her sweater on for her? …I think that may be the most ridiculous thing I've ever read.

**I take the red ball that is a kishin cold on my fingers.I open my mouth and swollow slides down slimly,its freezing giving me cold chills.**

**"Hm…slimy yet satisfying,"**

Maka: You do _not_ get to quote Lion King in my presence, bitch!

**"Come on lets go,"**

**"Kay!I skip along beside street light falls over.**

Maka: …so, despite her sister almost getting raped and her having a crying fit over supposedly not being able to do anything, now she's OK? …I hate Sues. I really do.

Crona: How is it that they keep being made despite everyone hating them so much…?

Maka: I'd rather not decrease my faith in humanity more by answering that question…

**"Here,"I hold out Souls clip to me.**

**"What?"He asks**

**"I`m returning them,"He smirks and stands he takes them from me but instead of putting them in his pocket he puts them in my hair**

**"I gave them to you,They ment a lot to me, so now they should mean a lot to you,"**

**"But why give them to me?We just met,"**

Maka: A valid question! Soul, your response?

**"I think you should have if you keep them you have to keep your promise,"**

**"Mu promise?"**

**"To always come back from a mission,"I stare at him then smile**

**"Okay I promise."He smile**

Maka: …a really stupid, nonsensical reason! Why am I not surprised?

**"Good,"The baretts shine even though the lights not hitting them**

**"Come on Soul its time for class!"**

**"Kay,"We walk to class**

**Lights POV**

**I run down the hall wristling something I never hey I just completed my first mission give me a break!**

Crona: …if I tried to figure out what she was trying to say there, I think my head would just hurt even more than it already does…

**In my happy fit I forget to watch where I`m going and I run straight into Kid**

Maka: Guess it is a running gag.

**"Sorry Kid!"I say smiling**

**"Its all `re happy."**

**"Course!I just got back from my first mission!"He smiles**

**" here!"He pulls out a small box**

**"Whats this?**

**"For completing your first mission."I blink then take the box.I open it,in it's a diamond skull necklace.I look at him**

**"Really?For me?"**

**"Yes,"He takes it and puts the necklace on face grows red**

**"T-thanks,"I hug him**

**"Welcome,"We smile "I thought you deserved it so…"**

**"Thanks a lot,"We start walking to class**

Maka: OK, why are they giving away stuff like this? To two people they've known for all of a few days?

Crona: Poorly written romance.

Maka: …I meant besides that.

Crona: …no idea.

**Sun:Hi!I`m the writer of this story(Gothicangel)I`m doing this …. What do you call this little chatthingy?**

Maka: Oh not this again…

Crona: "Gothicangel"? …this person didn't try with anything, did she?

**Star:its called a notice**

**Sun:oh!thanks!So I`m doing this because I just relized I haven`t been doing the disclaimer a-**

**Maka:You haven`t been doing the diclaimer?**

**Sun:No I haven`t and I k-**

**Soul:But you don`t own not cool Sun.**

Crona: "That's my catchphrase, by the way. Did you know that?"

**(glares at Soul)**

**Sun:Shut it!Ididn`t mean to fo-**

**Liz:You know if you don`t do the disclaimer you could be charged as playdgerism.**

Crona: "Playdgerism"? …I can't decide if that sounds like something involving playing or a really strange disease…

**(right eye twitches)**

**Sun:Stop interrupting me!I don`t like it!I didn`t mean to forget!I just did you don't need to freak!So stop going on about it!**

**Black * Star:Geez no need to freak we were just pointing out you don`t own all of you should be watching me!(I fall over)**

**Stien:I think you killed her.**

Both: YAY!

**Kid:Not we killed the writer then the story can`t continue,and murder can`t be covered up.**

**Sun:KID!(glomps Kid)**

**Stien:Or not.**

Both: BOO!

**Sun:OMG!Death the Kid!I love you!**

Maka: Of course you do, mindless fangirl. Of course you do.

**Liz:Looks like someones got a girlfriend!**

**Kid:G-girlfriend?No!**

**Light:Let go of Kid!(I glare at Light)**

**Sun:Shuddup I could kill you.I made you.**

Maka: Please do, your credibility would jump up quite a bit if you did. …it'd still be next to nothing, but at least it'd jump.

**Light:Let Kid go!**

**Stien: (Sighs)Sun you have to do the disclaimer.**

**Sun:Oh!Right!I do not own Soul eater it all belongs to Atsushi Okubo!But I do own Faith,D.J.,Light and Star oh and any others...**

**Light:Let go of kid!**

**Sun:Bite me!**

Maka: Right back at'cha.

**Star and I have been here in Death city for a month,we`ve collected 3 and the others welcomed us into the group quickly.**

Crona: I don't know, they seemed pretty friendly already…

**"Hi Shinigami-sama!"Star says happily**

**"Hey"I say**

**"Yo!Yo!"He says in his funny voice.**

**"So why`d you call us here?"For some strange reason he called us into his death room.I`m kinda wondering why.**

**"I have a mission I want you to go on!T,Sanitin bloodthirsty spian!"**

Maka: …did you catch any of that?

Crona: Um…maybe it…no, I've got nothing.

**"Oh Spain!I`ve always wanted to go there!"**

**"Yeah we`ll take it,"**

**"O~kay!Good luck!"We walk out of the Death room.**

Maka: Oh, she said Spain.

Crona: …why does this seem familiar?

**It`s now night and Star and I are chasing after .**

Maka: …chasing after…?

Crona: Patrick Bateman? Conan O'Brien? A Knight who says Ni?

**He runs into a dead end.**

**"Star scythemode!"**

**"Right!"She jumps and I catch her,spinning her then leaning her on my shoulder.(kinda like Maka does in the first episode)**

Maka: Oh, nice of you to acknowledge that you're blatantly copying me, you hack!

**"A weaponmiester huh?Why do you guys get to kill?"I run at him and kill him**

**"Because we have people to protect."Stars head and arms apper out of the scythe and she eats the soul.**

**"Yummy!"She turns human"Lets go home and quickly get a new mission!"She starts to skip away**

**"Wait Star."I say suddently,a strange paules runs through the air**

**"Whats up?"I stare towards town square,somethings telling me to go there.I close my eyes.I concintrate on the stange feeling in the eyes snap ooen and they don`t look like my normal `re red with black circling my pupil.I see in red,theres a lot of people in town square.**

Crona: *shivers* Changing eye colours…

Maka: I'm impressed that she can see what her eyes look like. I'm also confused by it, but mostly impressed.

**"Is there a gathering tonight?"**

**"Uh yeah a do you want to go?"I focus on the souls**

**"No, I scence a miester and a weapon with the human `s no one in that group that would make Shinigami-sama`s list."**

**"Sooo maybe someones just havin fun?"**

**" lets just check it out in case."**

**"Okay."We take off towards the square**

Crona: …wait a minute…

**"No way..."We satre at the square buts its empty**

**"Where`d they go?" Star askes**

**"I don`t know."We enter the town in the middle of the room is a girl,she`s younger then us by at least 4 years and we`re has shoulder length spiky purple hair,in her hair is white bunny ears on a wears a pint t-shirt and a puffy light blue skirt,white knee shorts poke out from under it and sneakers.**

**"Huh?Its just a girl,"Star says in wonder**

**"Thats not definitly a miester and weapon souls here."**

**"Hi!"The girls says smilng**

**"Which means the weapons inside her."**

**"What?"**

Both: …_WHAT_?

**"Faith-senpai!"Spirit and Stien run into Faiths house"D.J.-senpai!"**

**"Oh hello!I just made cookies for when the girls returns,want to try one?3"**

**"Uh..."Stien and Spirirt look at each other"No thanks"**

**"You`re so mean!"**

**"Oh shut up Faith,I`ll eat one."D.J. takes a cookie**

**"Yay!Thank you!"Faith glomps D.J.**

**"Yeah yeah now get off."D.J. pushes Faith away but he has a small smile**

**"So what did you boys want?"**

**"The demon blade it appered...again."**

Maka: Let me reiterate: _WHAT_?

Crona: It appeared _again_? But…there's only one Demon Sword! I should know, I'm literally stuck with him! How can he have appeared _again_?

**Stars POV**

**"How can it be inside her body?"I yell I look at Light and for the first time notice her ?How?**

**"It just is...Its comein."A poof and a purple thing popped out of her backIts hits her head**

**"Hey breanna!Did ya tell Lady theia `bout them?Can we kill them?"**

**"I haven`t told her yet..."She says in a way that makes me think of a rich kid."Can we kill them?"She pauses"All right,lets go Rem."**

Crona: …so, she's a combination of me and Misa Amane? …that's just terrible.

**"The thing on her back turns into a shot sword.**

**"Star!Chain scythe mode."**

**"Right!"I jump and feel the sensation of turning to a weapon shoot through my catches me.**

**"Oh!Cool!"the girl whom I`m guessing is Breanna yells acting more like a kid."Wonder who will win."**

**"You`ve killed people not on Shinigami-sama`s list,you are here by marked as a target!"Light says readying to charge.**

Maka: Meisters don't get to make that decision, idiot!

**"But she told me to kill them,and she told me to kill you."Then she charges with amazing speed,My blade blocks jumps back,Light throws one of my blades and I wrap around a jumps at us,Light jumps out of the way and pulls on me,I fly through the air cutting Breanna and landing neatly in Lights hand.I stare at the wound,It bleeds but thats not why I`m staring I`m staring because its purple.**

**"What?"I yell**

**"Yeah, my blood is purple."She charges again**

*silence*

Crona: …heh…hehe…hehehe…

Maka: …Crona?

Crona: *starts laughing hysterically* P-P-P-P-_Purple blood_? *laughs louder, pounding on his tray with his fist*

Maka: …*edges away from Crona*

**"Scythe mode!"In a poof I`m now a uses me as a lever and jumps off the ground over her head then Light turns and cuts her.**

**"Eh?I can`t cut very far."**

**"Thats not enough to hurt me."**

**"Whats with that?"I yell**

**"I think her blood is her weapon and it hardened stoping the to cut her is worthless,resonance won`t work either I I could shoot my her soul into her I might beable to do some damage but I can`t do that."**

Crona: *still laughing* Who-Who-Who-Who can take her seriously? "Oh, my blood is _purple_? Fear me?" *face lands on tray, still laughing*

Maka: …I don't think I get the joke…

**"Lady Theia,do you really want them dead?"she askes"Can`t I play with her?"a pause "Rem Shock resonance."**

Crona: *without looking up* Sh-sh-sh-_Shock Resonance_? *laughs louder and louder*

Ragnarok: …OK, even _I'm_ starting to get a little freaked out now…

**She holds up her sword and swings towards us,a eltric shock shot towards us and we go flying.I fly out of Lights hit the floor hard,my heads creaks against the wall blood warms my hair.**

**"Star!"She yells**

**"Don`t worry `bout me!We`re in a battle!"**

**"But...but..."**

**"Light!"I yell as Breanna attacks she turns just in throw out her hands and Breanna goes flying.**

**"How`d you do that?Are you a witch?"**

**"Hell no!"**

Crona: *slowly stops laughing* Hehe…heh…hoo…

*Crona sits back up, wiping at his eyes*

Maka: …you OK?

Crona: Y-Yeah…sorry, that was just…I don't know what came over me…

Maka: Right…also, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Light turned out to be half-witch or something…

**Light hollors and turns towards me and I stare frozen as she swings.I slam my eyes splatters across my face eccept I`m not hurt.I open my eyes to see Light on the ground and a giant cut that rips from chest to stomach**

Maka: …right, this author's made it on my shitlist. If I have to explain why to anyone at home…well, I shouldn't have to, _it's friggin' obvious_!

**"Light!"I scream my voice echoing.I fall to the ground,tears pouring down my face"Why?Why do you always protect me?Why can`t I protect you for once?Why am I so weak?"**

Maka: Because someone has to fill in the whiny angsty spot that I filled when this actually-

Crona: But you do not whine!

Maka: …I know, I'm going by this idiot author's thought process.

**"I`m gunna kill you now,"Breanna swings**

**"WHY CAN`T I KEEP MY PROMISES?"Suddently my clips glow and 8 lights flew aroung me then 8 fancey fairy like creatures apper.(think Orihime from Beach)**

Maka: …_are you serious_?

Crona: …where did Soul even find clips that could do that?

**"Hi!"A green girl says.**

**"Who are they?"Breanna I know!**

Crona: …well, if Breanna knows, why is she asking?

**"Un hi?"I ask my voice shaking**

**"We are your 8 star constilations!I am Gemini,"The green one says**

**"Libra,"Says a boy dressed in orange.**

**"Capricon!"A yellow girl says cheerfully as if we weren`t in a life and death situation.**

**"Pisces,"this time its a very pale boy says**

**"Virgo,"A red head girl says**

**"Aquarius!"A girl in blue cheers**

**"Scorpio."a orange boy says**

**"Aries."A very very very pale boy says**

**"Okay..."**

Maka: So, can someone explain to me why a Dark Arm that can turn into pretty much any weapon needs these…things? …anyone? …no? Figures.

**"We`re here to help!"Aquarius says smiling**

**"Just say freemitime then our names!Piscies,Aquarius and I ,Scopio and libra make a shiuld, Virgo and Aries attack,"Gemeni explains**

Crona: …free-my-time? Why that?

Maka: And what do Pisces, Aquarius, and Gemini do? Kind of need to include that.

**"Uh hello?Can i kill you yet?"Breanna askes and swings**

Maka: _Please do_.

**"Say it!"**

**"Freemitime Capricorn,Scorpio,Libra!"They glow and form a triangle shiuld which Breanna`s sword jumps back"Freemitime Virgo,Aries!"They at her in a flash of light,they fly around her cutting her.**

**"Shock resonance!"The shock hits them stars fly back hard.**

**"Wow,"They say**

Maka: Wow indeed.

**"Freemitime Virgo,Aries!"Again they swings sending them fling .She walks up to me**

**"Those fiaries are annoying!"She raises her sword and brings it down over my head,a blade smashes through the door and goes through stars turn into clips in my blade gets pulled out and Breanna jumps jumps through the door holding a turns to his human form besisde him.**

**"Mom!Dad!"I yell**

Maka: *monotone* Oh my goodness, they rescued her, what a shock, they'll be OK now.

**"Star!"They see Light"Light!"Mom bends down next to me and looks at takes off his coat and lays it on Light.**

**"So thats the demon blade,"Dad says**

**"Yeah,"Mom turns to a twirls him expertly**

**"You can block her right?"**

**"Course I look after you don`t I?"A smile speads across Dads face**

**"True."Breanna charges and Dad blocks her then throws her to the ground placing his hand on her stomach**

**"Soul wave!"**

**"Gah!"**

**"Wow...Dad must be powerful to beable to shoot soul waves..."Breanna`s blood floats into the air**

**"Blood dager!"The blood shoot at Dad,he easily dougde**

**"Hm..."Breanna charged again,Dad doudge and shot her again with his soul and nerrowly avoided the blood forced Breanna outside."Double plam soul wave!"He uses both hands on her ,she screams**

**"You ideot!"Rem shocked her again,she falls to the ground and started screaming.**

**"Soul regacton."Mom a giant wush of power washes over a girl appers in the sky.**

Crona: Soul…reaction? Soul…mega-action? …Soul Megatron?

Maka: Yeeeeeees, please.

**"Whats that?"I yell**

**"A witch."The witch uses her magic and she and Breanna didapper.**

Maka: OK, I don't even know what they look like, and I can tell you that they are anything _but_ dapper.

**"Star,have you been waiting out here?"Soul askes sitting beside `re outside of the nurses office and Lights haveing sugery.**

**"Y-yeah..."I say sniffling.**

**"It wasn`t long ago I was in there because I got cut with a demon blade because I protected Maka."**

Maka: "How oddly coincidental that it happened to you. It's almost like some completely unoriginal force made it happen!"

**"Really?"**

**"Yeah,don`t worry Light`ll be -sensei might be a little weird but he`s a great docter."I nod"Star...somethings bugging you."**

**"Its my fault...she was trying to protect can`t I ever truely protect her?Why does she end up protecting me?"**

**"Star,"**

**"Everytime!I can`t do anything!I`m so weak and she`s so...so..."**

**"Star."**

**"So...So strong!Why can`t I-"**

**"Star!"Soul cups my face goes red"What are you saying?"**

**"I`m saying I want to get stronger so no one has to protect me,so I can protect them.I don`t want them getting hurt anymore..."**

**"I think if you really want to you can be strong enough.I already think you are."**

Crona: …is Soul talking to someone else entirely now?

**"But if I`m strong then why can`t I ever do anything?Why does Light always have to save me?"**

**"...Maybe you just need practice."**

Maka: …I got nothing, that was just a really stupid statement.

**"Y-yeah maybe."I look at the door"I hope shes okay..."**

**"She is."The door opens and Stien walks stand**

**"Star,Soul didn`t expect to see ya here."**

**"Um Stien-sensei hows Light?"I ask he smiles**

**"She doing fine,you can go in if you want."**

**"Thank you!"We run inside**

**"So tell us the truth."Dad says appering from nowhere.**

**"We know you`re lieing."Mom adds**

**"Is it Soul all over again?"Spirit askes**

**" demon blades blood mixed with hers."**

Maka: Of course it is!

Crona: *snerk* B-But…wh-what could the p-p-purple b-blood do…oh geez, I can't take this!...

**I stare at Light unconcious face and tears come to my eyes.I feel strong arms around me and the warmth of face goes red but I bury my head in his sweater and te doors are thrown open and we jump apart.**

**"Light!Are you okay?"Black*Star runs in"Wake up!I`m here!I`ll give you energy just by being here!"**

**"Star-chop!"I hit him with a ,**

Maka: Damn right you hit him with nothing! Because you didn't hit him! Because you didn't _blatantly rip me off_ even more!

**Tsubake,Kid,Liz,Patti and Crona walk in.**

**"Shinigami Black*Star have some contral."Maka says"Star I want to say I know how hard it is,I was in the same position when Soul was injured by Crona."**

**"S-sorry..."Crona says**

**"Its s`kay."Soul answer**

Maka: Oh, look, you did come back, Crona! And for token guilt, too!

Crona: Don't really see the point when they've apparently replaced me…

**"I want you to know we`re all here for you."**

**"Thanks Maka."I rub my eyes.I look over to Kid,he hasn`t takin his eyes off seems more worried then the whats in the bag...**

**"Uh Star."He says**

**"Yeah?"**

**"Did anyone...tell you how Lights doing?"I stare at him**

**"Yeah Stien-sensei said she was fine."**

**"Oh good."He says in relief.**

**"Oh my is there a party going on?"A lady walks has chin length brown hair,the edges a blue,its covering one wears a blue dress under a lab gloves cover her hands and blue knees boots her feet.**

**"Eh!"I say in surprize**

**"Hello Theis-sensei!"Maka,Tsubaki and I say stares at her wide eye`...Theia-sensei`s is the nurse aid.**

Maka: McSeriously?

**"It seems Light got in a bit of trouble."**

**"yeah...its my fualt."I say sadly**

**"Don`t worry Star you`ll get stronger.I have work so you can stay as long as you like."We nod and she walks behind a curtin.**

**"Guys lets go...Light won`t be waking up right now so..."Liz trials off.**

**"yeah."**

**"Maka come with me?"Patti askes**

**"Sure."The walk outLiz and Crona follow Black * Star and Tsubaki**

**"Kid are you coming?"Soul askes**

**"just a secound please."we nod**

**"Come on Star."I leave with walks up to Light and puts the bag on the brushes the hair out of her face**

**"Get better soon."He hugs her then stares at her and cups her face"Good byr."Then her leaves.**

Maka: Just to double-check: has anyone explained why these romances are going on?

Crona: Not as far as I know…

Maka: Didn't think so.

**No ones POV**

**"Eruka,Free."A voice turn quickly**

**"No..."Eruka steps back and Free shiulds her.**

Maka: *sighs* Big surprise…

**"Hello again!"Breanna says happily.**

**"Breanna."Free says he looks at the two people with her,their faces are shadowd but he knows who they are."Shun, do you want?"**

Crona: Who's Shun? …wait, _another one_?

**"You remember Lady Theia?"Breanna askes**

**"How could we not?"**

**"well she wants you two."**

**"Whats she doing?"**

**"Continueing a plan."**

**"You don`t mean..."**

**" are demon you work for us?"**

**"Why should we?We`re free from Medusa."**

**"You remember those snakes in your body Eruka?Well Lady Their ahs something in you too placed by Medusa."**

**"What?"**

Crona: How? When? Why?

Maka: Convenience demanded it.

**"Yep!And Free she did help in setting you free."**

**"...I guess."**

Crona: See above.

**" plans already underway,she is come."Slowly they follow the thrio**

**"I thought we were frre Free."**

**"So did I."**

Crona: You thought you were on fire? …I don't think I want to know…

**Sun:So yeah!I know that was a lot like the anime but-**

Maka: _Gee, you think_?

**Liz:A lot?It was almost the same!**

Maka: Thank you, Liz!

**Sun:I couln`t think of anyting!**

Crona: Then why did you write?

**Black*Star:I woulda done way better!**

Crona: …actually, yes, he probably would have.

**Sun:Well ignoringthe we`re finully getting somewhere!With the new girl and the new nurse*cough witch cough***

Maka: *gasps* Nooooooooo! Really?

**Lets see what happens next!Reviews please good or bad I don`t mind just tell me what ya thought and I`ll be happy!I want to know what I did wrong so-**

**Stien:They would of died while you talked**

**Sun:Oh sorry!Anyway review!**

Maka: OK, here you go: _I can't take this anymore_! I already know everything that's going to happen from here! They'll fight Free and share some token angst, then eventually fight that Breanna chick again and become best friends for no adequately explained reason-

**Hey guys!Sorry this isn`t a chapter!My parents banded me from writing for a bit but when I`m allowed I promise I`ll update!Kay?Buh-bye!**

Maka: …*jumps up* Three cheers for awesome parenting! Hip hip-

Both: Hooray!

Maka: Hip hip-

Both: Hooray!

Maka: Hip hip-

Both: Hooray!

/

The lights slowly came back on as Maka flopped back in her seat, sighing while rubbing her forehead.

"…how can any one person be so blatantly unoriginal?"

Crona simply shrugged in reply, causing Maka to continue.

"I mean, not only did this person create two characters with no personalities whatsoever, overpower them and yet somehow still make them look weak, and put them into romances with two characters for no reason at all, but then she copied a storyline from our story directly, only with different characters."

She turned to look at Crona. "And then, she makes another cheap character, but blatantly makes it a copy of you! I mean, really, what's the point of that? …other than to provide you with some laughs, that is…"

Crona had placed a hand over his mouth, trying to hold in his laughter. "I-I'm sorry…I don't know why that's so funny…"

Maka sighed again, shaking her head. "Honestly, if you make a clone of a character, it's destined to fail. No weak copy can match up to the original."

Crona's eyes opened in surprise, his need to laugh quickly disappearing. Not that Maka noticed, as she had got back to her feet.

"Anyway, this fic is garbage, whoever wrote it should die in a vat of concrete, and so on and so forth. Let's get out of here, my faith in humanity is diminishing the more we stay."

Maka walked past Crona and headed for the stairs. Crona didn't move.

"_No weak copy can match up to the original." …she was talking about me, wasn't she? That's who the character was…a copy of me…was she complimenting me…?_

"Crona?"

Crona looked over at Maka, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, frowning slightly.

"You coming?" she asked.

Crona slowly got to his feet, holding the plush toy against his chest. "Y-Yeah, sorry…"

As he followed Maka up the stairs, he continued to think about what she said.

_Nothing can match up…nothing can compare…so…nothing can replace…? Was she saying I can't be replaced…? No, wait, maybe I'm thinking about this too much…it was just stating a fact, that's all…right?_

He looked up at Maka, staring at the back of her head as she ascended the staircase.

…_I know she can't be replaced. That much I'm sure of._

/

Holy HELL, that was ridiculous! I swear, I did not think this would get this long when I started this review!

If I missed your questions this time, I'll get to them in the next review, promise!

Oh, and before I forget, it's that time again! I will be needing specific suggestions from you guys this time around! Of what? Well, it'll be the eighth review…so I'm sure you can figure it out. And I'm also pretty sure what a good chunk of the suggestions will contain…

See you next time!


	14. Story 8: Unholy Trinity Part 1

…hoo boy.

This is karma, I just know it. I go looking for a Kid/Crona fic to review because I want to poke my readers even more, and…_God_, this is a bad one! I mean…holy shit! I can't even really describe how bad this is until you see it.

Anyway, this'll be another two-parter, so save any questions or suggestions you may have for after the second part. For now, just get ready for…this.

*gulp* Here we go…

/

Looking back on everything leading to today, Crona realized that he was actually pretty lucky.

Everything that he had seen in all of the sessions should have had some effect on his relationships. His initial disappearances should have made his friends distrust him again. The first session with Maka should've completely destroyed what they had. Soul should've hated him after his experience. Black*Star and Tsubaki should've been absolutely upset with him after theirs. Yet not only did none of that happen, but his relationships with them somehow got even _stronger_. It boggled his mind, and it made him realize that he was incredibly lucky that that happened.

But, without even entering the theater, he knew that his luck was on the verge of running out. This was it. This was going to be the one he had been dreading.

Today, he would lose a friend.

"Ah…such wonderful architecture. The designs of the doors are intricate, yet perfectly aligned with one another. The level of work that went into making them must've been immense. Such devotion to perfection is truly something to be admired."

Crona sighed inwardly as he watched the "guests" of the day stand in front of the twin doors. Naturally, one dark-haired son-of-Death, Death the Kid, was happily standing precisely where the two doors met, arms open as he admired the symmetrical design. Crona couldn't help but wonder if their host was purposely enticing Kid in order to make him more willing to do the review.

Standing on Kid's left was the shorthaired blonde ball of hyperactivity, Patty Thompson, and on his right was her taller, longer-haired, more reserved older sister, Elizabeth. Patty was quietly balancing on the balls of her feet, while Liz was staring at the doors, arms crossed and a finger impatiently tapping on her arm.

"…OK Kid, we've admired the doors' beautiful symmetry already. Can we go in now?" Liz asked.

"Yeah! This is just getting boring! I wanna see the movie already!" Patty added.

Kid shook his head. "Absolutely not. The symmetry must be admired for the right amount of time before we temporarily ruin it by pushing them apart. Just a bit longer."

Liz sighed, shaking her head as she turned to look behind her.

"Hey, why'd you guys bring us here, anyway?"

Crona gave a slight flinch before glancing beside him at Maka. She was looking off to the side, her hands clenched together in front of her. It wasn't difficult to figure out what she was going through, he was probably feeling the same. Neither of them wanted the others to be there, but, like before, they had been "invited", and had no real choice in the matter.

Crona was brought out of his thoughts when he noticed Patty had suddenly moved from in front of the doors to right in front of his face without him noticing, causing him to jump back a bit in surprise. Naturally, a wide grin spread on her face as she let out a few giggles.

"Hey, this is gonna be a super-cool action movie, right?"

"Uh…wh-what?"

"C'mon, I wanna see some action! Big kung-fu battles, or car crashes, or random violence, explosions, fire, blood, mayhem, all the good stuff! You'd better deliver on that!"

Crona simply stared at Patty in total confusion, and was utterly relieved when Liz walked over and gently pulled her sister back a bit.

"Now Patty, don't go scaring Crona like that. You know better."

"Awww, but I'm not scaring him! I'm playing! Riiiiiight, Crona?"

Crona blinked. "U-Um…I-I guess…?"

"See?"

Liz sighed, before looking at Crona. "No offense, Crona, but you may be too nice for your own good."

Before Crona could even begin to process the implications of what Liz just told him, Patty quickly reached forward and gave him a gentle poke on the nose.

"Beep!"

Crona reflexively moved back, quickly covering his nose with both of his hands. This caused Patty to start giggling again, much to both Crona's and Liz's chagrin. Liz then looked beside him at Maka, frowning while moving closer to her.

"You alright, Maka?"

Maka looked up at Liz in mild surprise. "H-Huh?"

"You just seem kind of…distracted."

"Yeah!" Patty added. "You usually get mad at me whenever I start poking Crona, but you haven't said anything!"

Maka sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Sorry, it's just…well…you'll see soon enough, I guess…"

Liz and Patty looked at one another for a moment, before Liz looked back at Maka and Crona, a somewhat suspicious frown on her face.

"Did we miss something? I mean, if you wanted to see a movie with us, why send us letters like this is some special occasion or something?"

"Th-That wasn't us…" Crona muttered.

"Then who was it?" Patty asked.

"…I don't know…"

That wasn't exactly a lie. Despite how long Crona had been going to the theater, he was no closer to finding out just who The Host was. He hadn't really given it much thought, beyond simple curiosity. He didn't even know what he would do if he did meet The Host. He'd like to think he'd try to get him to stop dragging his friends into the same mess he was still a part of, but he had no idea how he'd be able to do that. He doubted just asking politely would really work.

He was brought out of his thoughts again by an annoyed sigh coming from Liz. "Alright, whatever. We'll play along with whatever wacky idea you guys have. C'mon Patty, let's go get our seats."

"OK!"

The two turned to head back for the doors, only to stop when Maka suddenly grabbed Liz's shoulder.

"H-Hang on a sec, Liz!"

Liz looked back. "What?"

Maka sighed, giving in and deciding to just accept the worst. "Your seats will be at the front…whatever you do, don't touch _anything_ until we get there. Least of all any letters lying around."

Liz's look of suspicion only grew at Maka's request, but she simply sighed and pulled Patty back to the doors, the both of them returning to Kid's sides.

"Alright Kid, we've waited long enough, let's go." Liz ordered.

"Wait, hang on! Just a few more seconds and I'll have admired the symmetry for a perfectly symmetrical amount of time!"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Patty?"

"Right!"

The two of them then grabbed Kid's back and legs and lifted him up, his feet now facing the door as the Thompson's started carrying him.

"Geez, Kid! You need to cut back on the waffles!"

"AGH! Liz, don't push me in like this! My shoes will scuff the doors!"

"The maintenance guys or whoever will clean it up! Let's go!"

"At least open the doors symmetrically!"

The two of them continued to go back and forth, Patty giggling all the while, as they pushed through the doors and into the theater.

Maka sighed, turning to look at Crona. She frowned as she noticed him fidgeting where he stood, wringing his hands together nervously.

"…you OK?"

Crona flinched slightly, then shook his head.

"…I don't need to give another "this isn't your fault" speech, do I?"

He shook his head again. "N-No…that's not the problem…"

Maka tilted her head, then gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey…they'll be OK. The others got through this, they will too. I'm sure of it."

Crona shook his head again. "I-I know…th-that's not it either…"

"…then what is it?"

Crona turned to look at Maka, yet his eyes still darted about nervously.

"W-Well…it'll be me…and Kid…doing one of these…and…y-you know…"

Maka stared at Crona in confusion for a few moments, before slowly realizing just what Crona was hinting at. She sighed, giving him a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about in regards to _that_, Crona. He isn't _that_ sadistic…"

Crona simply stared at Maka in mild surprise in response. The two looked at each other for a good while, before Maka sighed in defeat.

"Yeah…that sounded a lot more believable in my head…"

She moved the hand on Crona's shoulder to his opposite one, her arm wrapping around his back. "Whatever it'll be, you can get through it. I'll be right there if you need any help. You'll be fine."

Crona blushed, instinctively leaning closer towards Maka. He gulped slightly, then nodded. "O-OK…"

With that, the two of them moved forward and through the doors, heading down the stairs to the front row.

Liz looked up at them as they came down the stairs.

"Hey, you didn't have to worry about us touching anything."

Maka tilted her head in confusion, but noticed what Kid was doing, and let out an annoyed sigh in response.

"Absolutely perfect!" Kid exclaimed as he stood directly in front of the table. "The table is aligned perfectly with the screen! And the ends of the screen are the exact same width, allowing the left side to match perfectly with the right! Even the letters on the table are placed an even distance from each other, allowing both sides of the table to match! Whoever designed this place is a genius! No, an artist! No, an artistic genius!"

Liz sighed, looking at Maka again. "See what I mean?"

Maka marched past Liz and Patty, heading towards Kid. Crona could tell she was already tense, and moved closer to the Thompsons, waiting for the worst to happen.

"Kid…" Maka began as she stood beside him. "It's not perfectly symmetrical."

Kid blinked, turning to look at Maka. "What are you talking about?"

"The letters…one of them is directly addressed to you three."

Kid looked at the letters again, then let out a loud, horrified gasp.

"_You're right_! One of the envelopes has writing on it but the other doesn't! It ruins everything! Oh, just when I thought I had found the perfectly-"

He then frowned, something dawning on him. He picked up the first envelope (taking a minute to carefully place the other in the direct center of the table) and examined it.

"…why is this one addressed to us?"

Maka sighed. "You'll…you'll find out in a second…"

Kid frowned. "…Maka, is something the matter?"

"Just…just open it…please, just do it…"

Patty tilted her head. "Why's Maka looking so sad…?"

Liz frowned. "Good question…" She then turned to look behind her. "Crona, what exactly-Crona? Crona, what's wrong?"

Patty looked back as well to see Crona shivering like a leaf, his teeth grit and his eyes widened, his entire body radiating with pure fear.

"Crona? What's the matter? Why do you look-"

But before Patty could finish her sentence, Kid finally read the letter aloud.

_I apologize in advance._

_Soul Eater._

Three screams rang out through the theater, each of them reflecting the pure horror running through the trio of guests. Maka attended to Kid, who was just barely staying on his feet, while Crona tried to help the Thompsons, who had fallen to their knees.

The key term in Crona's case was "tried". He looked back and forth between the two of them, unsure of what to do first. They were both screaming as though they had lost limbs, and Crona didn't know who to try and talk to first.

Before Crona could decide, though, Liz suddenly moved forward to grab Patty in a hug, holding her close while she screamed again and again. Liz's screaming had since stopped, but from the way she was still shaking, Crona could guess that she was holding hers in. And though Patty continued to scream and scream at the top of her lungs, Liz still held on to her, not moving an inch.

Soon enough, Patty's screams began to quiet down, and she soon began to just breathe heavily, face against Liz's shoulder. Crona cautiously moved closer, reaching to touch Liz in order to offer comfort.

He was shocked when Liz suddenly slapped his hand away.

He held his own hand and looked at them in surprise, only for his eyes to widen when Liz looked up at him.

It wasn't the tears that hurt Crona. No, it was the look on Liz's face. Crona honestly couldn't think of a time he had seen Liz so…_angry_.

And all it took was two words to explain why.

"You _knew_."

Crona froze, his eyes locked onto Liz's. No matter how much he wanted to (and right then, he wanted to more than anything) to look away from her, he just couldn't bring himself to. Not with so much fury clearly present in those eyes.

"You knew…you both knew this was going to happen…and you never told us…"

Liz's voice was unbearably shaky. It was as though she was focusing all of her efforts on holding back that anger that Crona could see pouring off of her. Crona just wished she would stop glaring at him like she was.

"You're supposed to be our friends…why would you keep something like this from us?"

"Liz…" Maka interrupted, looking over from where she was. "Listen, Liz, we-"

"I didn't ask you, Maka! _I asked HIM_!"

Both Maka and Crona flinched at the tone in Liz's voice. Crona couldn't help but continue to stare at her, the tears flowing at a faster rate.

"_Why_?"

That was all she said, her eyes still giving that piercing glare. Crona opened his mouth, trying to speak, but nothing came out.

He should've been used to giving this explanation by now. It was the truth. Every time it happened, it was nothing more or less than the truth. And yet…this time, with Liz holding her distraught sister, wanting to place the blame on someone, on anyone…it didn't feel like it was enough.

Even so, it was all Crona had.

He closed his mouth, took a deep breath, then began.

"He…he did something…to our heads…"

""He"? He who?" Liz interrupted.

"The Host…the one who set this up…he sent you those letters, not us…he did something to you so that…that happened to you…and he also made it so we can't tell anyone else…"

Crona's head had since lowered, his face obscured. "I…I wanted to tell you, really, I did…I…I'm sorry…"

He hated how weak it sounded. It sounded so pathetic out loud, but what apology would be good enough? How could he make Liz stop glaring at him, even now when he couldn't see her face?

"L-Liz…"

Crona's head snapped back up at Patty's voice, now very weak and worn out from screaming. Liz's head turned away from Crona, focusing now on comforting Patty as she began to sob into her shoulder.

"It's OK, Patty…it's alright…I'm here…"

Crona simply watched as Liz held Patty, gently shushing her while rubbing her back. While it was a touching scene to the average onlooker, Crona couldn't help but feel disturbed by it. Just the fact that Patty, usually an energetic and happy individual, could be reduced to tears by this…

He looked up as he saw Kid walk over, clearly worn out from his own endeavor. Without a word, he knelt down beside the Thompsons, placing his arms around their shoulders. He didn't say anything to them, and they didn't say anything to him. The three of them simply stayed there, together.

Crona looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. _…had to happen sooner or later…_ he thought. _No way can they forgive me for this…_

He heard the three of them move, but didn't bother looking up. _Any second now…_ He heard a few footsteps, some moving away from him and a few moving closer.

"Hey."

Crona flinched, fully prepared for the worst. He saw a hand reach down out of the corner of his eye and tensed, almost instinctively expecting a hit. When nothing came, he slowly turned his head to look up at whoever was standing there.

He blinked in surprise as Kid gave him a reassuring smile, waving his hand slightly out of encouragement. Crona stared at him for a few seconds, before slowly taking his hand, letting Kid pull him to his feet.

"I'm so sorry…"

"It's alright." Kid replied. "I don't blame you."

_I wish I could believe him…_ Crona thought as Kid walked away from him and over to his seat. Crona walked past them, heading over to where Maka was standing, the concern clearly evident in her face.

"Are you OK…?" she asked.

Crona stopped in front of her, looking down at his feet. After a few seconds, he simply shook his head.

Maka reached forward and pulled him into a close hug, Crona quickly doing the same to her. He fully expected to start crying right then, but…something was stopping him. It felt wrong, somehow, for him to do that. Right after what he'd just seen…

"…I hate this…" he whispered into her ear. "I hate this so much…"

He felt Maka squeeze him tighter. "I know…" she whispered back. "I do too…"

He didn't want to think about it, but some part of Crona hoped that maybe now it was over. He hated thinking of them like that, but all of the "main characters" had experienced this. Maybe that meant no one else had to go through with it. Maybe he could just keep doing the reviews without having to worry about his friends getting hurt.

_No…_ he ordered himself. _Stop. Don't get your hopes up. They're in as just as much danger now as they were before. This isn't over yet._

He felt Maka let go of him and he did the same to her. He watched her reach over to the table and grab the other letter, then followed her to their seats and sitting beside her. He looked to his right to see Patty beside him, followed by Kid and then Liz at the end.

"P-Patty…? Are you OK…?"

He fidgeted as he watched Patty rub at her eyes slightly, but was still relieved when she looked up, a small smile on her face.

"I'll live…thanks for asking…"

Crona gave a small smile of his own in response, then looked past Patty when he heard Kid gave a tired sigh.

"So…why exactly are we here?"

Maka frowned, looking at the one envelope from the table in her hand.

"Well…believe it or not, we're here to read a terrible story."

Liz leaned past Kid to shoot an incredulous look Maka's way. "Please tell me you're not serious."

"The story is about us, so, sadly, yes I am."

Patty tilted her head. "People write about us?"

"Yep, they most certainly do. And you guys really have no idea what you're in for…you in particular, Kid."

Kid blinked in surprise while the Thompsons turned to look at him. "Me? What do you mean by that?"

"From what we've read, you're…well, you're popular…" Crona explained.

"…and that's bad?"

Crona shuddered. "Very, very, _very_ bad…"

Liz frowned. "Just how long have you guys been doing this?"

"A couple of months now, I think…" Maka replied.

"So this is where you guys have been spending your weekends?" Patty asked.

"Something like that…"

Patty looked down at Crona's lap to notice the pile of letters sitting there. "What're these?"

"F-Fanmail…" Crona replied.

"…then why do you look like they're filled with snakes or something?"

Maka sighed. "Something you guys should know right off: our fans are _messed up_."

Crona shuddered again as he opened his first letter. "Just watch…"

_You should have had some of that punch. Because It'll fix all of your problems, and definately isn't bad for you at all._

Crona let out a loud squeak, quickly slapping the letter onto the tray in front of him.

"Punch?" Kid asked. "What's she talking about?"

"N-Nothing!" Maka interjected. "Absolutely nothing! Just a fan being completely crazy!"

Kid raised an eyebrow at Maka's and Crona's forced smiles, but felt it better to just let the subject go and looked away.

"How did she find out about _that_?" Maka hissed at Crona, teeth clenched.

"I don't think I want to know…" Crona whispered back.

_So I heard there was no MedusaxCrona..._

_I will just have to fix that. And yes, there WILL be blood._

_I'll tell you how it goes, since I'm SURE you'll want to know._

Crona stared at the letter, jaw now hanging open. Even after Maka viciously tore the letter away and ripped it to pieces beside him, he didn't move an inch. Even while Patty was waving a hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention, he didn't budge.

It was only when Liz spoke up that he reacted.

"…your own _mother_?"

This caused Crona to collapse onto his tray, letting out a low moan after doing so.

Maka sighed, gently patting Crona's back while looking at the others.

"Believe me now?"

She received three quick nods in response.

Crona sighed, sitting back up and opening another letter.

_What was the picture book your mother gave you like? (ch 87)_

Crona did his best to ignore the flinches and slight gasps at the chapter mention.

"Please, please, _please_ don't ask me about that…"

_(This one's more or less for the whole group) What is your opinion on Alternate Universe fics?_

Maka shrugged. "Well, I guess they can be interesting in the right hands. But that doesn't mean it can be just anything. I mean, you can't exactly combine us with Power Rangers or something…"

Crona frowned. "How would that even work, anyway…?"

Patty grinned. "Ooh! Ooh! I wanna be the Pink Ranger! I wanna be Pink!"

Liz frowned. "Hey, I wanted to be Pink!"

"We can both be Pink! We'll make Tsubaki a Pink too!"

Kid blinked. "Uh, you can only have one of each colour on a team, Patty…"

"Screw that! This is _our_ team! We make our own rules!"

"…alright then, which am I?"

"Well, you're the super-smart Green Ranger, of course!"

"…I thought the Blues were the smart ones…"

"No, those are the calm ones. That'd be Soul!"

Maka tilted her head. "…how did we get on this topic again?"

"Shush, Red! I'm thinking!"

Maka blinked. "…wait, I'm the Red Ranger?"

"Th-That makes sense…" Crona added. "Y-You would be a good leader…"

"…you think so?"

Crona nodded, while Patty continued.

"And that just leaves Black*Star as the Yellow Ranger!"

Crona frowned. "I thought Yellows were usually girls…"

"Our own team, Crona! Our own rules!"

Maka tilted her head, before clearing her throat. "Um, Patty?"

"Hm?" Patty replied, turning to look at Maka.

"You forgot to mention the most important member."

"…I did?"

"Yep." Maka said, a smile coming over her face as she wrapped an arm around Crona's shoulders. "None other than our super-cool Black Ranger who always swoops in at the last minute and saves the day."

Crona flushed heavily at that. _Most important member…?_

Patty crossed her arms, giving a small huff. "I didn't forget! I just didn't mention him because he's not supposed to show up until halfway through the season!"

"Uh-huh…"

_Which bathroom do you usually go into?_

"…which do you think…?"

_Is there a reason you haven't left your dungeon room in the DWMA?_

"I-I'm just used to it…I can deal with living in small places…"

_Anyway, all jokes aside, dude, you're pretty cool. There's going to be some speed bumps in life but hey, everyone gets over those. Just stay strong, it'll help in the long run._

"Th-Th-Thanks…"

Crona placed the letter aside and opened his next one.

_In case you noticed, one of the previous questions involved MedusaxCrona and now by the looks of things a story might be made and if it's good then more people will take it up and if it's bad then you might have to read it (There is no good option) so now I feel responsible for it._

_So just wanted to say sorry for that one. Was not intended. Forgive me for what I have done._

Crona gave another groan, placing the letter with the other one.

"I don't care who's responsible for it…I just don't want to see it…"

Maka gently rubbed Crona's shoulder, trying to comfort him while he opened his next letter.

_Would it be nice to know that you're probably the only character that someone in the S.E fandom hasn't made an 'This character is actually a dick/bitch'?_

"I don't understand why someone would do that to any of us…I mean, you guys are the heroes-"

"You mean _we_." Maka interrupted, her arm wrapped around Crona's shoulders again. "_We're_ the heroes."

"…r-right, sorry…m-my point is, why would someone try to make the heroes look bad?"

Kid frowned. "I'm not entirely sure I follow…what is this person referring to?"

"Well…" Maka began. "There was that one fic where I was a Yandere…"

Liz's expression changed to one of utter disbelief. "_You_? A Yandere?"

"Yep…though it would really be better if we didn't talk about that that much…"

Liz tilted her head in confusion, but noticed Maka was giving a rather pointed glance at Crona. Liz looked at him, blinking in surprise as she noticed him looking down at the floor, shaking while letting out a low growl.

"…Crona? You alright?" Patty asked, poking his shoulder.

"Not a Yandere…" Crona muttered. "Not even close to a Yandere…wouldn't know a Yandere if it stabbed them in the face, pinning them to the wall with the last stupid gawking expression frozen on their ugly mug while blood slowly pours down-"

"Crona!" Maka interrupted, pulling him into another hug. "It's alright. Just take it easy. It's in the past, not even worth thinking about now."

Crona didn't move at first, despite Maka squeezing him close. He soon let out a small sigh, looking back up at the others.

"S-Sorry…"

_Did you keep any of those attacks you got from being a Kishin or whatever you were in Chapter 83?_

"N-No…I can't really do most of those with Ragnarok as he is…"

Crona placed the letter aside, then frowned, looking behind him.

"…usually, he'd have something to say to that…"

"What is his problem lately?" Maka wondered.

"I have no idea…" Crona replied, opening his next letter.

_Just want your reaction RAINBOW BLOOD!_

Maka rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, she can't expect you to crack up just because-"

She stopped when she noticed Crona suddenly clap both hands over his mouth, trying to hide his snickering.

"…still not really getting the joke, Crona."

"I-I-I don't know!" Crona responded in between snickers. "I-It's just so…what, is this person made of Skittles or something…?"

Maka sighed as Crona resumed his muffled snickering, then shrugged when the other three looked at her oddly. After a few minutes, Crona calmed down and resumed reading.

_And Breaking Point is a good story_

"I'll take your word for it…"

_why not move in with maka?_

Crona gave another squeak, quickly tossing the letter away and grabbing the next one, trying to hide his heavy blush.

_Eheh, just curious, but have you read any GOOD fanfictions, or seen any GOOD artwork? If so, I'd like to see your recommendations! Heck, if it's art it doesn't even have ot be about Soul Eater or ANY fandom for that matter. Just general artwork._

"No…I try to stay away from this sort of thing unless I have to deal with it…and I don't really look at art much…"

_Steering clear of romance or negativity like I see on so many other fan mail notes...what's a particularly good memory that you know of? Once again, this is a pretty broad question in general, that's all its intended to be._

"…pass."

_Did you perchance happen to run into Excalibur at one point?_

"No, Ragnarok's made sure that that hasn't happened…"

Kid grimaced. "For once, a wise decision on his part…"

_Yes, I'm REALLY well aware that every fanfic you read so far is terrible, but which one of the bunch you read WASN'T so bad?_

"…I guess that Maximum Ride fic wasn't so bad…but that was only because it looked like someone actually proofread it…"

Maka frowned as Crona opened his next letter. "That's it? That's the only reason?"

"Y-Yeah…the content wasn't exactly…accurate."

_I refer to you as a 'pinkette' sometimes. Bluenette does sound weird though._

"…that's just…weird…"

_Holy hell, you're a brony! Rock on with your manly self, Crona._

Crona winced as he heard a loud gasp come from Patty.

"You're a _brony_?" she almost shouted.

"Uh…I-I guess-URK!"

He was cut off when Patty suddenly wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him closer, gigantic grin on her face.

"I knew it! I knew there was an awesome dude buried under that dress!"

"Robe!"

"Whatever! And awesome dudes get awesome hugs!"

Crona started tapping his hand against Patty's arm. "Not a hug! Headlock! _Headlock_!"

Patty quickly let go of him, giggling while Crona rubbed his head.

"Sowwy. I missed."

_(But RainbowDash is best pony.)_

Maka gave a slight scoff. "Hardly."

"Hey!" Patty interjected. "You watch what you be saying about Dash!"

"Oh, so sorry I'm not a fan of the jerk of the group."

"Them be fightin' words!"

Crona gave a small whimper. _How did I get caught up in this…?_

_Just gonna say it- Jellybeans. Nice little piece of imagery there for ya._

Crona shuddered, trying not to scream or moan or give off any other negative reaction.

Patty tilted her head. "What's the deal? I thought you liked jellybeans."

"P-Please don't ask…"

_You might have been expecting some very... embarrassing comments from me, but nope, not today._

Maka leaned over, staring incredulously at the letter. "…she's kidding, right?"

"The sad part is that I don't think she is…"

_Wouldn't it be just silly to mention you being romantically paired with whoever the "surprise" guest is? Perish the thought._

Crona gave another groan, his face falling against his tray. "I knew it…"

Maka sighed, patting Crona's back while leaning over to look at Kid. "See what I mean?"

Kid frowned, then pointed at the Thompsons. "She was talking about Crona and Liz or Patty, right?"

Maka simply looked away, while Crona didn't move. Kid's eyes slowly widened.

"That…that was what she meant, right? …_right_?"

_I originally had more questions for you, but I decided to postpone those until a later date._

"Great…"

Crona tossed the letter aside, then picked up another one and handed it to Patty.

"This one's actually for you guys…"

Kid blinked, reaching over and grabbing it before Patty could. "They knew we were coming?"

"I-It's just addressed to "the guest stars"…"

Maka frowned as Kid opened the letter. "Even so, he brings up a good point: How'd she know they were coming?"

"M-Maybe The Host tells people about them…?"

"Then why haven't didn't Soul, Black*Star, or Tsubaki get any?"

Crona simply shrugged, while Liz leaned over to look at Maka.

"Hang on…they came here too?"

Maka sighed. "Yeah…like I said, we've been at this a while…"

_Just gonna say hi. Nothing weird or awkward being mentioned here._

"Judging from what we've seen, I shouldn't hold my breath…" Liz remarked.

_Also-_

_Tell me your favorite color(s)._

"…never mind."

"I already said pink!" Patty shouted.

"Likewise."

"Black, I suppose…" Kid added.

He then looked at Crona as Crona opened his last letter. "That wasn't so bad…"

"If you were staying after this, they would get so much worse…"

"How do you know we won't be staying?"

"The "guests" never do…well, except for Maka…"

Maka sighed. "Very long story there. I'll tell you guys later."

_You're Brony? :o Respect._

"…what's that thing between the two words there?"

"Another emoticon." Maka explained.

"Oh."

_Would you rather go out and do something with Maka, or just sit around and hang out?_

Crona blushed. "I-I don't know…e-either one is fine…"

He then noticed Patty staring at him, a big smile on her face.

"Wh-what?"

"Oh, noooooothing…" she replied, smile getting larger.

Liz sighed. "Must you, Patty?"

"Yes! I must!"

Liz shook her head in exasperation, which only served to confuse Crona further. Maka, meanwhile, decided to open her first letter.

_I don't have much to say to you, except you're just amazing._

"Gee, thanks…"

_Also out of everyone in Soul Eater, you seem to be the most mentally stable._

"Trust me, that's going to change the longer I do this…"

Liz frowned while Maka opened her next letter. "…honestly, how bad is this gonna be?"

"Worst-case scenario? You won't be sleeping for a good while."

"…great."

_what was the first thing you used the maka chop on?_

"My dad. Long story…"

_Really happy that there is no fic about you making friends with asura._

"Oh, I'm willing to bet there's more than one featuring us becoming more than "just friends"…"

Kid faltered slightly. "The Kishin? You and…_Asura_?"

"I told you, our fans are messed up."

_What did you do with the Maka note?_

"…the what?"

_favorite My Little Pony?_

"Applejack. Because she's a righteous asskicker."

Patty scoffed as Maka opened her next letter. "Dash is cooler."

"Watch it."

_One time, I saw that when two souls aren't in sync with each other, something happens to make it impossible for the weapon to be wielded by a meister, taking Black*Star's inability to lift Soul for example, or his handle burning your hands. Unless someone is a Mary Sue, this is always the case, right?_

"That is exactly correct. The two or more souls need to be in sync with one another in order to fight properly, which is definitely not as easy as it sounds."

_If I may ask, what IS that Little Demon that lurks around in Soul's subconciousness? Quite the odd character he is..._

"I honestly have no idea…maybe a manifestation of the black blood?"

Crona frowned. "I can't really say…"

_Something I've been wondering for a REALLY long time...do you think there's such thing as an afterlife? I highly doubt EVERY soul gets eaten by some pre-kishin or something of that sort. Ooooor perchance am I missing something about what happens to uneaten souls._

"I'd like to think there is…I imagine Lord Death just sends whatever souls we take to him to the other side, whatever it is…"

Patty turned to look at Kid while Maka opened her next letter. "Kid, wouldn't you know?"

Kid sighed, shaking his head. "No, unfortunately. Father hasn't told me what he does with the souls we take to him. I imagine he's waiting until it's time for me to take his place for that."

"You'll tell us then, right?"

"Unless I am strictly forbidden to do so…which, I have a feeling I will be…"

_You get NORMAL QUESTIONS today. Lucky you._

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and not believe you."

_How was your day?_

"Fine, until a short while ago."

_Did you have anything interesting for breakfast?_

"I guess, if Cocoa Puffs can be considered "interesting"."

_I think you'd look nice (more so than usual) in blue._

"When I want fashion advice, I'll consult someone I can actually see."

_If you've stopped lovin' Trance-fusion, would you consider dub-step? Not the really annoying kind, but something more calm (which actually exists, go figure)._

"I doubt it."

_And that's as much normalcy as you will get from me. From now on, everything will go back to being strange and awkward._

"Gee, can't wait."

Patty tilted her head as Maka opened her last letter. "Hey, I think she might've been coming onto you, Maka."

"…why in the hell would you think that?"

"Well, she said something about you looking "nicer than usual", right?"

Maka frowned, then picked up the letter in question, reading it over again. Once she finished, she looked back up at Patty.

"…y-you're probably just reading too much into it…right?"

Crona leaned over to read the letter, then looked at Patty as well. "Th-That doesn't make any sense, though…I mean, _I'm_ the one she's obsessed with!"

The two looked at him as what he just said slowly sunk into his head. He placed a hand over his face, giving an embarrassed groan.

"…I can't believe I just said that…"

Maka shivered, dropping the letter onto the ground in front of them. "L-Let's just deal with the last couple of questions already…"

_Is Soul really heavy when he's in weapon form?_

"No, as long as our souls are synchronized, I can lift him easily."

_Do you prefer warmer or cooler weather?_

"I prefer springtime weather, mostly. Not too hot and not too cool."

Maka sighed, placing the letter with the others and picking up the envelope she got from the table. She ripped it opened and unfolded the contents, already expecting the worst.

_Now that that's out of the way, I should take a moment to explain something to the two of you, Maka and Crona:_

_This is by no means the end of the guest stars. I regret to tell you that there will be at least one more session with them. I will not say who, but I can guarantee you won't like it._

_Onto today: As I'm sure you've already guessed, this will involve the three guests in some way, and I'm almost positive one of you has guessed in which way. You most certainly will not enjoy this one, and I can't really expect you to make it through this in one piece._

_The story is called The love triangle by 8YRTTEMYS-SYMMETTRY8._

_Best of luck._

Maka growled, crumpling up the letter and throwing it to the ground.

_Just perfect…_ she thought. _Not only does he tell us that more people are going to be brought in, not only does he pretty much confirm what Crona was thinking, but he does it in that bullshit "I regret doing this" attitude of his…_

""One of you has guessed"?" Kid repeated. "…he doesn't…he's not saying…"

Crona gave a low whimper. "I definitely can't deal with this…"

Maka sighed, reaching over and hugging Crona. The lights then went down, and the show began.

/

**Hey everybody! My first fan fiction,**

Maka: Always a bad sign.

**and I'm proud to say, that its cronaxkid!**

Crona: *groans* I _knew_ it…

Kid: But…_why_? Why…us?

Maka: It's a mystery of the universe…

**DICLAMER: I don't even need to tell you that I don't own soul eater or any of the characters-**

Patty: Then why'd you just do that?

**you'd already know that if I did, there would definitely be a whole lotta cronaxkid moments…**

Liz: Why, so this could actually make some modicum of sense?

Kid: I don't get it…just what are they basing this on?

Crona: That one time at the party where you were nice to me…

Kid: …seriously? This is all because I was trying to comfort you _one time_?

Crona: That's all I can think of…

Maka: And the weird part is, it's the second most popular pairing of our fandom.

Kid: _WHAT_?

Patty: What's the first?

Maka: *points at self* Take a wild guess…

**So yea, I definitely don't own soul eater. PS: I think Crona is a boy, only I don't wanna right yaoi**

Maka: _Then why are you writing this_?

Crona: Wait…that would mean that…*facepalm* Oh _no_…

Kid: …this will not end well, by any means.

**"Black Star! I thought I **_**told**_** you to leave Crona alone!" Makka yelled at the top her of her lungs.**

Patty: Who's Makka?

Maka: Me, supposedly…

**Makka, Kid, Crona, Black star and Soul had been walking home from another day at Shibusen, when Black Star had voiced his opinion over Crona's gender. "WHAT?" Black star responded, equally annoyed-"I was asking! I mean, really! Don't **_**you**_** wanna know too?"**

Crona: *head hits tray*

Maka: For the love of…why is that always a hot-button topic? I knew he was a boy from the start!

Crona: *looks up* Y-You did?

Maka: Of course I did! It was obvious! Right, guys?

Kid: U-Uh…c-certainly!

Patty: Y-Yeah, totally obvious!

Liz: N-No doubt at all!

Maka: …

**Makka's arm rose and fell, as a gigantic medical book collided with the cocky meister's skull. Everyone else sweat-dropped.**

Liz: People don't actually do that, you know.

**Makka then cut her eyes at Soul,**

Maka: _Ow_!

**daring him to make even a comment on Crona's gender, but stopped once she saw Ragnarok popping from her/his spine. "I know what Crona is!" Everyone upon hearing this stopped, even Crona, who at the time was rubbing her/his right arm with her/his left hand.**

Patty: Why do you do that, anyway?

Crona: F-Force of habit…

**Black star started to say something when Soul covered his mouth with his hand, silencing the egotistic boy in a warning gesture. "Can't everyone just leave Crona alone?" Makka voiced.**

Maka: What the misspelled copy of me said!

**"FINE! If you don't want to know, I'll just leave! Besides, I wasn't gonna tell a stupid pigs crap like you anyway!" Ragnarok retorted- everyone cringed, waiting for one of Makka's famous chops,**

Maka: Oh please, he's called me worse.

Crona: Th-This is true…

**while at the same time secretly cursing her for ruining their only chances to figure out what exactly Crona was. "M-M-akka!" Crona stuttered as he/she caught a glimpse of the book from earlier in a direct route towards Ragnarok( he would easily be able to outrun the book and pop back inside, letting Crona take the blow).**

Maka: You _clearly_ underestimate the chop, then.

**She stopped- "Yes Crona?" In the backround everyone sighed with relief, except for Ragnarok who stuck out his over sized, slimy tongue. "I- I'm a …" Everyone leaned in, including Kid, and Makka, who both secretly wanted to know more than the others. "I-I-…" Crona cringed as Black star suddenly pushed himself into his/her face, a malicious grin playing across his lips, as he tried to read his/her mind through his/her eyes. "I- I don' know how to deal with this!" He/she suddenly cried, while fleeing from the crowd of gazing and curios eyes.**

Kid: In his…er, her defense, that was a serious invasion of personal space. …and incidentally, why must the writing be clustered together like this? Not only is it difficult to read, it's not even _close_ to symmetrical!

**"BLACK STAR!" They all cried in unison- with one deadly swing the thick book slammed into said boys head once again, as even Kid turned away in disgust.**

Kid: "Even" me? …I'm not sure if I should be offended by that or not…

**~nya~nya~nya~nya nya~nya~nya~nya(line breaker**

Maka: If you need to tell us that that's a line breaker, it failed at its job.

**Crona hugged her knees in an attempt to reassure herself as she rocked slowly in Mr. Corner, going over what had happened earlier in her mind. Finding that this alone did not help much, she turned to the hell inside her head.**

Crona: That wasn't what I was referring to when I said that…

**On the beach inside her circle, her shadow appeared in front of her. "**_**Everyone was wondering what you were again today- isn't that strange?" **_**"Pass" "**_**Even Makka wanted to know- how does that make you feel?" "**_**Pass." "**_**You know, I bet if Kid knew you were a girl, he'd consider talking to you more…" "…"**_

Liz: OK, why is it so important that Kid knows?

Maka: I'd recommend against getting your hopes up for an explanation, Liz.

Liz: So, I should just resort to "this makes no goddamn sense"?

Maka: Sounds about right.

**Just then, a knock was heard on the other side of the door. For a second, Crona hesitated, then with a shaky voice said, "C-come in." The door creaked open to reveal Makka. For a second, she feared that she had brought Soul or Black Star or Kid along, but was relieved to see that she had come by herself. "OH! Hello Crona!" Makka greeted with a smile. "I just wanted to come over to bring you this!" Crona's gaze fell on a neatly arranged basket of fruits, decorative soaps, and a small bag with a tiny goldfish inside. Makka noticed her look of confusion and laughed lightly. "Oh," she said. "It's just something we all whipped together since your still getting used to us and all. You know, to remind you that you could join us at your own pace!" Crona's body shivered suddenly- "**_**Join at my own pace?" she thought "That's would Kid had said… maybe he had contributed!"**_

Kid: Why are you people trying to make me regret attempting to comfort a friend? I thought I was supposed to be the popular one!

Crona: "Popular" usually means "strangely obsessed" when it comes to most of our fans…

Kid: …you're speaking as though you have experience on the subject.

Crona: You heard the letters…

**Sure enough, as though reading Crona's mind, Makka pulled out a very balanced and symmetrical painting of a gigantic butterfly in the middle, with two elegant trees on either side, a single branch for each tree facing toward the direction of the butterfly. Makka made a face- "Oh and this is from Kid. I told him that not everyone was an obsessive- compulsive weirdo like him, but he **_**insisted **_**on getting you something 'perfect' so.." She handed Crona the strange, though rather interesting painting, a look of disgust on her face. Crona on the other hand, stared at it with a look of amazement on her face, a sudden realization coming to her- "**_**Does Kid... except me?**_

Kid: If by that, you're wondering if I would be interested in someone _except_ for Crona, then yes, yes I would be! …no offense, Crona.

Crona: None taken whatsoever…

**A/N; well that was my first chapter! And it was good no?**

All: NO!

**Anyhow, the next chapter is in Makka's point of view, and also on the Makka and Blair's plan to figure out whether Crona is a boy or girl!**

Maka: *facepalm* Is it humanly possible for you people to _not_ make that a plot point?

**Yaz!**_**Review if you like it!**_

Patty: Doesn't that mean we should stop now?

Maka: Believe me, I _wish_ that logic worked…

**A/N: Hey everyone again! How you guys doing?**

Crona: Miserably.

**Well, in this chapter, were going to see things from Makka's point of view and its going to be a little longer.**

Liz: I can barely contain my joy.

**Umm, anyways, Kid's point of view will be in chapter 3 and we will see why Crona is concerned of whether Kid likes her or not in this chapter.**

Maka: Oh, I just can't _wait_ for this explanation…

**Well, enjoy. Ps: This takes place starting after Crona has left, a little before she has gone to Crona's house**

Patty: Why not just say that it takes place after Crona left? That just makes it sound confusing…

Crona: Unnecessarily confusing is something we've started to expect from these…

**"Crona!" The pigtailed meister protested. With a quick movement, Kid grabbed her arm, then gasped and grabbed the other. In a fluid motion, she turned around ready to fight and recoiled once she saw the look on his face.**

Kid: Why? Was there a pimple on there? …was it only on one cheek? Oh God, Liz! That's absolutely horrifying!

Liz: Kid, relax, you're fine.

Maka: And why did he grab both of my-no, no, never mind, don't answer that.

**"It's ok," he muttered, what looked like regret playing across his golden rod eyes that told her more than they intended too.**

Patty: You have golden rods for eyes, Kid? That sounds so weird!

**"Yeah Makka,let Crona be. *cough* it*cough* just wants to be left alone right now." Soul added- it was his turn to be damaged by the unforgiving book that tended to materialize into the pigtailed girls hand.**

Liz: …well, that was just unnecessarily dickish of him.

Maka: My thoughts exactly.

**What sounded like 'not cool' was heard somewhere in the backround.**

Crona: "That's my catchphrase, by the way. Did you know that?"

**Choosing to ignore this, Makka took to thinking over the ordeal with Kid. "But, Crona's depressed enough as it is! I should go help him! Her feelings are probably hurt! And Black star get up! I didn't hit you that hard!" (In truth, she had made a dent into his head, hitting him half for being obnoxious, and half for ruining the answer that so many people wanted to know- leaving him in a sticky pool of blood that surrounded his entire body).**

Maka: She must've swung two-handed.

Crona: Th-Then Black*Star's dead?

Maka: Please, this person wouldn't be able to comprehend the power of the chop even if I chopped her myself. …which doesn't sound like a bad idea, come to think of it…

**"Well… Crona needs to get used to us at his own time- no doubt she'll get sick of being alone with Ragnarok anyway, and besides, we don't want to seem like were pressuring – uh,…" He paused, choosing to avoid the rest of the sentence, not wanting to refer to Crona as 'it'. Makka gave Kid the same glare she had given Soul earlier. "**_**Hmm… Kid's acting a little weird- since when did he of all people care! He better not be messing with Crona's head or something or I'll-"**_

Patty: _Hey_! Is this bitch trying to say that the rest of us _don't_ care about Crona?

Kid: …I suppose it could be interpreted that way…

Patty: That's fucking bullshit! He's our friend too! We obviously care about him! Who the fuck is she to say that we don't?

Crona: …*blush*

Patty: That's it! As soon as this is over, me and Liz are gonna hunt this one down and give her a good old-fashioned Brooklyn _curbstomping_!

Liz: Hey, don't go dragging me into random murder again, Patty!

**Makka's inward thoughts were interrupted as the slender grim reaper leaned forward, a smirk on his face. "I know how you feel. It's just that Crona needs time to figure out how to deal with things on… his/her own." A wild blush appeared on her face as he whispered the comment into her ear.**

Kid: …what in the world…?

Maka: …oh you have got to be kidding…

**"Well then, fine!" she screeched, a feeling of guilt at the sensation she got etching into her voice.**

Crona: *twitch* "Screeched"?

**She pulled herself out of Kid's firm grasp. "If you guys don't care about Crona, then so be it. But I'm going to go find him! I mean…." She ran off, wishing she knew just what to call Crona. Kid sighed, Black Star twitched on the floor, and Soul wondered why Kid was so close to Makka when he had whispered into her ear, a tinge of jealousy stabbing at his heart.**

Maka: Oh, great, totally didn't see that coming…

**Slowing down once she was good and far away, Makka sighed and took in her surroundings. Here she was, back at Shibusen, where she knew that Crona lived. But maybe Kid was right- if she constantly pestered Crona like she had been doing; it might seem like they were pressuring her. But no, she couldn't listen to Kid… after all he was the one that…**

Kid: …that what? What did I do now?

Maka: They'll only tell us when the necessary amount of drama has been force-fed into this…

**anyhow, she just hoped that Crona would understand, and turned slowly back in the other direction almost cursing herself for leaving Crona with Ragnarok.**

Crona: Why are they making it sound like a big deal…? It's not like he tortures me or anything…

Maka: Yeah, but it still can't be pleasant…

Crona: W-Well, no…but not _that_ bad…

_**FLASH BACK~FLASH BACK~FLASH BACK**_

Patty: Hey! We're having a flashback!

Liz: …yes, Patty. Yes we are.

_**It was the night of the party, the day that Kid invited everyone to his home, boasting all the while over how symmetrical the decorations were.**_

Maka: Just how many parties to you guys have, anyway?

Kid: Too many, from the looks of things…

Patty: Oh, don't be such a pooper, Kid! You can never have too many parties!

Maka: …I thought your favourite was Rainbow Dash, not Pinkie Pie.

Patty: It's a tie!

_**Makka danced lightly on her toes with Soul as 'Soul mates' boomed from the radio.**_

Liz: Wow, I am just stunned by the subtlety there. _Stunned_, I tell you.

_**Once the song was over, and both weapon and meister were satisfied from the awkward dance, they broke apart blushing furiously. "Uh, yeah, I'm going to go see where Black*Star and Tsubaki went…" Soul said nervously. "O- Ok." Makka replied. She secretly wished that he would stay, but didn't dare say anything more.**_

Maka: *eyeroll* Ugh.

_**Once the scythe had moved out of sight, Makka's eyes rested on Crona, who was sitting in the corner while Kid hovered over her, an angry look on his face. **_**Hmm. **_**She thought**_** what they are doing…**_** Her question was answered when she came within earshot of the two. "It's just your **__**hair**__**! That's it! I just want to change your hair is all! I promise it won't look like a bowl, but it'll probably take only two or three days!"**_

Kid: …Crona, really, if you just let me even it out-

Maka: No, Kid.

Kid: But it won't even-

Maka: _No_.

Kid: But it'll only take-

Maka: I've got a dictionary with me and I'm not afraid to use it!

_**Kid was saying in a slight whine. He then collapsed to his knees, a look of determination on his face. He slowly looked up to stare into Crona's eyes, and then frowned. "…" Everyone waited to see what he'd do… "PWEASE, PWEASE, PWEASE, PWEASE!"**_

Kid: _One time_! I only did that once! Why are you making me do it again?

Maka: Because the author has no originality, that's why.

_**Makka was just getting ready to bring down her book when Crona spoke up- "Um, I d-don't know how to deal with this…" In a look of defeat, Kid stopped and rose up from the ground. "Ok then Crona… I'm sure that you'll get sick of your silly a-symmetric style in due time. Besides, symmetry is beauty! No one would be able to resist!" Before either Makka or Crona could respond, he fluttered off, looking a little disappointed though still as though he would get to change Crona's hair soon. "M-Makka…" at the complete surprise at Kid's attitude, she almost forgot why she had come over, and snapped into reality at her name being called. "Yes… Crona?" Looking down, with embarrassment, Crona asked- "Do- do you think that Kid might… hate me…?" All of a sudden anger flared through the sandy haired meister's body- **_**How dares he? Making Crona upset like that! Who the crap cares about symmetry anyway?**

Patty: Hey! Learn to swear, bitch! Shitty-ass fuckballs! It's not that hard!

_**"I'll be right back…" she said aloud, leaving Crona in the corner. She spotted Kid right away and began stomping in his direction. He had his back turned to the party, and before she could reach him, he headed toward the staircase of the large house. Makka followed him, choosing to stay on the quiet side- for now. As suddenly as he reached the staircase, he turned around suddenly, just as Makka jumped toward him- in a split second, the two collided into each other, Kid landing on his back, where as Makka stumbled on top of him, not having enough time to back away.**_

Maka: *facepalm* Unbelievable…

Kid: …they aren't…they aren't really…

Liz: How clichéd can you possibly get?

Maka: Wait a little longer, you'll see.

_**No one knew this at the time, but Blackstar was hiding in the backround, to later tell Soul what happened.**_

Crona: …Black*Star was actually sneaky?

Maka: Now I _know_ this author's an idiot.

_**For a while Kid and Makka stared at each other, both trying to read each other's emotions, while at same time blushing rather hard. "Why you…" Makka nearly exploded. Kid on the other hand seemed to be paying more attention to how symmetrical her pigtails suddenly looked and leaned forward. "Makka…" He whispered, a little closer than she had earlier realized.**_**"Ugh." Makka voiced feeling a little sick.**

Maka: I know exactly how she feels…

Kid: *groans* Why do people enjoy doing this to us…?

**She had no idea whether or not what she had felt that day was attraction or not. After all, she had gotten the same feeling when she was close to Soul, so how could she possibly be falling for someone like *shudder* Kid?**

Kid: Well, that was a completely unnecessary blow to my ego.

**In a final attempt to sort out her feelings, she pictured herself first with Soul (as she expected, she got that that warm fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach)**

Maka: Stomach virus.

**then Kid. As she imagined the day of the party again, she got the same feeling, yet this time it was as though something else was behind it. Something like… she couldn't place her finger on it, but she was sure that it was somewhere on the tip of her tongue.**

Maka: That would be the stomach virus making me throw up.

**"I got an idea!" She said out loud, choosing to ignore the pestering sensation- she placed her left fist firmly into her right hand. "I'll go see Crona! And maybe get him a gift!" she ran into the direction of her home (she tended to run about randomly at times)**

Maka: I do not!

Crona: Why is this person just randomly imposing character traits onto us…? It makes no sense!

**and stood breathlessly in the hallway, scanning the living room for any sign of Soul. Soul must have been in his room, for instead she saw only a small lump of fur- Blair. She tried sneaking quietly into the room, so as not to be caught alone with the flirtatious cat. She failed- "Nya! Makka-Chan! You're back!" The cat said in a sing song voice, turning over from her position on the couch. "Nya~! I've been waiting all day for something fun to do! Soul's been holed up in his room all day for some reason!" At that she transformed back into a woman with cat ears. Makka quickly noted her bikini top that was a little too tight on her, and small panties barely covering what Makka would rather not see. **_**No wonder Soul's confined to his room. **_**At this thought Makka perked up a little- that must prove that she truly loved Soul more!**

Liz: …how do you figure? He could just be-

Maka: *covers ears* La la la, I can't hear you!

**Blair tilted her head curiously in the smaller girl's direction. "Nya~! And what is Makka-Chan thinking about?" Before Blair had said anything, Makka had not noticed the furious heat seeping along her cheeks. "I know- Nya ha! Your' thinking about Soul- aren't you! I don't blame you; he's such a cute scythe boy! He's soooo cool! Nya!" Blair smiled as though yearning to knock down the door to Soul's room. "N-no! How- Why would you" "Nya ha-ha! It's ok Makka, Blair-Chan knows all about the party **_**and **_**about your feelings for Kid-o kun too!" If this was meant to reassure Makka, then Blair was sadly mistaken. Instead, she succeeded in causing the young meister to blush all the more red. Not taking the hint, Blair continued- "Yep! Nya~! I was soooo bored that I couldn't help myself and ended up going through the stuff in your room when Soul-kun ran away! Then I noticed this**_** adorable**_** little diary," she paused to hold up a journal with a picture of Makka and her father (the picture of her father was found in an album, but was spared because of it being when her dad looked even slightly responsible holding a baby Makka while reading her a story)**

Maka: …

Kid: That's more than a little creepy…

Liz: Way more…

**"and dug through some pages and had **_**lots**_** of fun reading about the party! I wish I was there."**

Crona: And Blair wouldn't invade someone's privacy like that! …right?

Maka: Y-Yeah, I'm sure she wouldn't…

**Again she paused, this time to pout slightly, then immediately perked back up. "So, tell me Makka- who do you think you like more- Kid or Soul? Nya~ go ahead!" There was an awkward silence, and then Makka realizing defeat sighed with the acceptance of her fate. "Fine- but don't say anything to anyone okay?" Blair nodded eager to find out what was what. "I think it may be Soul, but that feeling with Kid that I got- I just can't explain it… and I'm a little afraid that if Crona's a girl, she might like Kid- what would I do if I like Kid and just didn't know it yet- or if Kid liked me- how could I know?" Blair, who had been listening intently, gave her fingers a quick snap- "Nya! I know! We'll do three tests! The first will be to see if Crona's a boy- or a girl. The next will be to see what your true feelings are- whether you like Kid or Soul- and the last one will be to see if Crona has a love for some one! Nya~ it's perfect!"**

Maka: Oh dear God, I'm hatching a plan with Blair.

Liz: In any real-life scenario, this would be disastrous. Here, however, it's probably going to turn out just fine.

Kid: …and how would you know that?

Patty: Maybe it's because of those books she keeps stored under her-

Liz: _Patty_!

**Makka couldn't help but agree with the frisky kitten.**

Maka: Just how many blows to the head did you take in the last hour or so?

**"Ok, but how?" She asked. There was a moment of silence while they thought their choices over. "Ok, well first we'll go to Crona's!" Blair started- "Oh! I was just headed there- I wanted to get him a gift!" Makka responded. "Nya! Ok good- let's make a basket, then we'll make everyone add their own little gift to it so we can figure out if Crona acts strangely when she gets a certain one!" "Great! That'll tell us if she or he likes anyone!" "Nya! And once we figure out who she or uh, he likes, we'll be able to see if she/he is a boy or a girl- (unless she/he might be a yaoi or Yuri, in which case we'll have to come up with a plan B!"**

Crona: …"a" yaoi or "a" yuri?

Liz: They're called "gays" and "lesbians", you frickin' weeaboo.

Maka: _Thank you_.

**"Well, we'll just have to wait and see." "Nya! And finally **_**you **_**Makka- Chan- we'll set you up on separate study dates with first Soul, then Kid, and we'll see who you react to better- just hide me somewhere and I'll act as your horoscope and figure out who you make the best chemistry with! Nya! I **_**love **_**this plan!"**

Crona: …I just noticed something. They're basing all of this off of just random "feelings" she's getting…

Maka: Right…

Crona: But what about other stuff? Like whatever qualities she would find attractive in another person? Just going by one random fluttery feeling won't work if the two of them aren't actually compatible…

Maka: Ding ding ding! Congratulations! You just pointed out the core problem of this entire fic! Liz, tell him what he's won!

Liz: You get to walk away with the satisfaction that you actually have a working brain, which is more than can be said for the person writing this fic!

Crona: …yay?

**Makka, who had been nodding up and down rapidly stopped at this, and for a second feared that she was blushing. "O-ok, but if it turns out that I like Kid, and so does Crona… well- I'll Makka chop myself!"**

Maka: Oh, that sounds so tempting right now…

**she said with certainty. After all, Soul was her partner, and Kid couldn't exactly have a threesome (could he)**

Kid & Maka: WAGH!

Kid: _That was completely unnecessary_!

**and Crona deserved to have Kid- not her.**

Liz: Why? Honestly, Crona _just_ pointed it out. Why should they be together? What's the attraction? Do you understand _anything_ about romance at all?

**EARLIER PARAGRAPH REPEATED HERE**

Patty: What was the point in that? It didn't even lead to anything different! It was just the one bit from the party again!

**END FLASHBACK~END FLASHBACK~ END FLASH BACK~**

Crona: …that whole thing was a flashback?

Patty: Liz, I'm confused.

Liz: Don't look at me, I'm as lost as you are.

**A/N: Ok, well guys, that was the chapter- and since I'm afraid that I wasn't clear on what's going on-I tend to stray from the subject at times- I'll explain everything. You see, Makka isn't sure whether she likes Soul or Kid, but Crona likes Kid. In the (hmm) 4th chapter I think, I'll explain who Makka likes- or maybe somewhere in chapter 3. Anyhow, I know that it's a slight MakkaxKid, but I assure you, that it's meant to be Cronaxkid; I just forgot what my main goal in this story was.**

Maka: You know, if you have to explain in the author's notes what you were trying to get across, you've clearly failed to do your job properly.

**Maybe later Liz and Patty will appear,**

Liz: _Maybe_? Oh, gee, how fortunate for us! I mean, it's not like we're important to Kid or anything!

**and of course Tsubaki. Makka is determined to figure out her true love where as Crona is learning how to deal like someone- stay tuned for the next episode, **_**To see what Makka was feeling at the party, and what Kid will do, once he's alone with Makka, and what Soul will do, and also on what Crona will do! Yea! Oh! And PS: Makka is wondering why he of all people cares since her biggest fear is that Crona is a girl, and they both share the same love interest (that is, if Makka likes kid) and is still a little angry because he called Crona a-symmetric when everyone knows he hates a-symmetric things, since Crona's feelings were hurt cause she thought Kid hated her and ps: this is the best i can do about the spacing problem; ok i fixed it! it now shows the first half of the flashback, so now you dont have to be confused! but i really dont know how you professionals space it- im such a noo -_-' ehh**_

Maka: …did any of you guys catch any of that?

Crona: Uh-uh.

Patty: Nope.

Kid: No.

Liz: 'Fraid not.

/

OK, this is taking longer than I thought, so I'll stop here.

Next part will be up soon.


	15. Story 8: Unholy Trinity Part 2

Alrighty, here's part two, where things really go to shit.

Get ready.

/

**A/N: Ok! Now we are going to continue the story in Kid's point of view! Yah! Hooray! That's it actually -_-' (it's the day after Blair's plan)**

Kid: So it failed miserably and we can all move on with our lives?

Maka: Don't bet on it.

_**Kill~kong~ding~die!(sound of Shibusen bell)**_

Patty: We already know that!

_**"Alright class, just don't forget, were going to be dissecting a very rare bird tomorrow, so make sure your prepared- budgets are low, so make sure you bring your own knife."**_

Maka: We don't always dissect rare birds, you know!

Crona: Yeah…sometimes it's rare tigers…or rare bears…or rare fish…

**Kid sighed in relief- finally the day was over- he was getting sick of trying to focus on Dr. Stein's creaky monotonous voice. He had already learned half of the subjects in his special trainings and the idea of dissecting a live bird was enough to make him shiver in disgust. "Kid~ooo! Come on, let's go!" A rather high-pitched voice chimed in his ear- he was broken out of his thoughts, and turned around to face the speaker. It was Patty, a large construction paper giraffe slung over her shoulder, and a look of pure innocence on her face(few people knew the Boston- street version of Patty, whose cold glare would paralyze someone or get them running).**

Patty: We're from _Brooklyn_, fucktard!

Liz: Yeah, there is a _huge_ difference between Boston, Massachusetts, and Brooklyn, New York!

**Next to her was Liz, looking extremely impatient, who flipped her hair just as a wild bull would paw the ground with its hoof.**

Crona: …that's an odd analogy…

**"Come on Kid, if I miss my show again I'll…"**

**Kid stopped her mid-sentence without even trying. He had been making a rather concentrated face at the time while trying to see past Patty's giraffe to another figure in the distance.**

Patty: And by the way, I make stuff besides giraffes, you know! Sometimes I make elephants, sometimes hippopotamuses, sometimes mooses-

Liz: Moose, Patty.

Patty: Yeah, I make a moose, and then I make another moose, so mooses!

Liz: No, it's…oh, never mind.

**Both Liz and Patty turned simultaneously toward the exit- the place he was staring.**

**Standing near the wall, with her left arm rubbing her right was Crona, and to everyone's surprise (they hadn't seen the other at first) was Makka, a surly look on her face.**

Maka: Uncanny how that matches the look on my face right now…

**"Yo!" Patty called out- Makka and Crona seemed to have been in a conversation at the time, for their movement stopped abruptly and while Crona looked down at her feet, Makka held her head high, blush rising to her cheeks said "Kid!" she had said a little strangely, Kid thought, and a little too loud. He nodded towards her, expecting her to continue, as his weapons looked back and forth between Makka, Kid and Crona, seeking for a drama.**

**Crona who didn't know how to deal with this explained this in a very blunt fashion. "Oh no, there all just staring… I hope they're not observing me… this is so strange- but there not holding weapons- what do I do? I don't know how to deal with this." She muttered almost inaudibly.**

Crona: "That's my catchphrase, by the-" …oh, forget it…

**"I know how you can deal with it! Go home and make me some fricken food! When's the last time you've been in a kitchen!"**

**Ragnarok had appeared suddenly and rather frighteningly from Crona's spine, breaking the long silence and confusing the situation.**

**"Why, you- You turd!" Makka leaned over the puny creature in her battle stance, focusing on the small target, as not to hurt Crona.**

**It was then that Kid found something out that he so wildly assumed already- at the exact time Makka had conjured the random textbook, a rather irritated Ragnarok had pulled on the pinkette's long dress, tugged on it slightly as though trying to tease Kid- Ragnarok knew that Kid was the most eager to discover Crona's gender and had seen the gleam in his eye when he was so close to finding out. There, in the flash of an eye, if you paid close attention was a neat pair of underwear gently hugging the thighs of the young witches' daughter, decorated by a single picture of a strawberry covered in chocolate sauce.(Nobody else noticed this, they were all looking elsewhere)**

Crona: *head meets tray*

Kid: …what the hell…?

Liz: Wow, the subtlety here is just amazing. That underwear practically screams "please take me right now".

Crona: C-Can we please not talk about the underwear I'm not actually wearing…?

Liz: …wait, you don't wear-

Maka: _Moving on_!

**Upon observing the delicate work of art between the smooth creamy- thin legs and the fine, piece of pinkish cloth, an exceptional amount of bright red blood trickled down the reaper's nose, and he quickly brushed it away, not wanting anyone to see the ruby liquid,**

Crona: …"ruby" blood?

Patty: Oh, that must be because he's the son of Death, so his blood is special!

**or know what he knew- it gave him a sense of a sort-of possession really, as though by just knowing this one fact, he had gotten dibs on this entire being before him, as though it gave him the right to **_**own **_**her- no, own was not the appropriate word- to wed her more like, as though just this small knowledge made them closer, rather.**

Maka: Oh hey, creepy potential rapist pretending to be Kid. When'd you get here?

Kid: …what is _wrong_ with this person? Why are they portraying me as a closet pervert?

Liz: A disturbed mindset when it comes to romance.

**And blushing furiously, he realized that this indeed was a silly way of thinking,**

Kid: _Obviously_!

**that she certainly wouldn't know how to deal with it, and that, after all, on that fateful day of the party, it had been **_**he **_**who had enjoyed the short time he spent with Makka on him- it was just something about her at the moment that made him want to lean over her and kiss her passionately- maybe it had simply been the way her hair was that day- the usual pigtails, except this time, the small piece that always stood out on her left side seemed to have been combed out so that it was perfectly symmetrical. **_**"Ah, symmetry**_** is **_**everything…"**_** Kid thought, going over the situation once again in his head. But yet, he didn't actually enjoy Makka herself- she wasn't his type. Instead, it had been the pigtails that he was attracted to, as odd as it seemed.**

Maka: Odd doesn't begin to describe it! "Fucked up" doesn't begin to describe it!

**"Kid-o…. Kid-o… KID-O KUN!"**

**Again, the weapon meister was stirred out of his thoughts, this time to time, rather unexpectedly, by Crona. "Hmm…" He asked, hoping his jeans looked normal to everyone around him- this unfortunately, was not true, for now everyone seemed to be staring in that particular direction.**

**As blush evaded his cheeks, he braced himself for a Makka chop, or worse- that the bulge in his pants was A-symmetrical.**

Maka: …what.

Liz: …now that's just _wrong_.

Kid: I…you…I do not get _turned on_ by symmetry! That's just…it…I can't even find the words to describe how much you disgust me! What in the name of everything holy is wrong with you?

Maka: If we started listing the numerous ways this person is screwed up, we'd be here all week.

**"Hahaha~! Kid-o got a boner huh onii-chan!" Patty cackled.**

**"Oh brother… I wonder why actually- and Patty leave kid alone" (Liz)**

Crona: Wait, what's with the brackets there?

**"W-what's a bo-ner- I don't know how to deal with those… Ragnarok?"(Crona)**

**"Well, Crona, a boner is what people get when they wanna sex somebody up- apparently, Kid here wants to do that to-"(Ragnarok)**

**"Makka-a CHOP!"**

Maka: …so, let me see if I've got this: rather than actually write the characters saying whatever, you're going to have their names put in brackets beside the dialogue?

Crona: …wow, and I thought the stuff we've seen before was lazy…

**this time, Makka hit Ragnarok dead on, and just managed not to hit Crona- this made everyone else sweat-drop, besides Kid (who was still blushing and pretending to make his collar symmetrical) and Ragnarok who uttered a final "Stupid deformed, flat-chested cow.." Before seeping back into Crona's spine.**

**"Uh, now that's over, Kid, can we… can we have a study date- please…" Makka asked nervously.**

**Kid was taken aback, but quickly regained his composure. "Uh, yea sure I… I just need to err…"**

**Makka interrupted him- "Well, can it please be today- I need some help on today's homework."**

**"Ok, sure." Kid replied, eager to get the situation over with, and climb into his sweetly symmetrical bed.**

Kid: AGH!

Patty: Why is this bitch trying to make Kid feel uncomfortable?

Maka: Let me reiterate: our fans are _messed up_.

**"M-maybe we should walk to my place together… you know since… I mean, Soul's staying over at Black*Star's house and Blair's with the two (she shuddered at that part) soooo…"**

**"Hahaha! Onii-chan – onii-chan! You think Kid will get another" Liz quickly covered the younger's mouth-**

**"It's time we went home now, ok- if were any later we'll miss our show Patty! Crona, should we walk you home? Ok, come on, we'll take you- bye Kid! Bye Makka! See ya at home now, bye!" Liz said in one breath, while dragging Crona (who gave one final questioning glance towards Kid) and still keeping one arm wrapped around Patty's mouth, dragging her too, and keeping her from saying anything else.**

Crona: Where they decided to mercifully kill me-…her off-screen. …please?

***On the way home with Kid and Makka***

Liz: We probably could've figured that out, thank you.

**An awkward silence enveloped the two, as they made their way home, past Death Buck's.**

Maka: *facepalm* Deathbucks? Really?

**"Wait... I mean wait, uh, Kid can we stop here please?" Makka asked uncertainly.**

**Kid turned toward Makka who was unusually close to him. "Yes, I didn't think you'd want to, but ok."**

**They turned into the doorway of Death Buck's and ordered two cappuccinos. They sat down together on the couch with their cups, smiling gently and a little nervously at each other.**

**"Makka…" Kid said slowly- Makka looked up from her drink and gasped slightly, for now Kid was suddenly directly in her face.**

**"Y-yes Kid? What is it?"**

**"…"**

**"It's just that… you don't have to sit all the way on the other side of the couch. It's not like I'll hurt you… or you know… the other thing."(=boner; P)**

Kid: *double facepalm* Why are you doing this to me…?

**"Oh, uh ok then… sorry." She scooted closer to Kid, a little reluctantly.**

**"Ah, that's better… soooo um." Kid started- there was that silence again, and it was worse than before.**

**"Kid… you know, we should be going now, it's getting late, and I still need help on my homework." Makka said after a while.**

**"Sure thing Makka…" He got up, and, finding it a gentlemanly gesture, reached his hand down for Makka to grab it.**

**The pig-tailed girl obediently grabbed Kid's hand, but once she got up, held fast to it and didn't let go. Kid smiled at her, as she tried to avert her eyes from his blazing golden ones. "Makka, don't be shy ok… come on, let's go before were even later."**

**Makka nodded and kept tight on his hand, enjoying the warmth of it.**

Maka: Oh, great, now I'm a clingy little girl. Wonderful.

Crona: *twitch*

***Makka's house***

Patty: We can figure that out! We're not idiots here!

Liz: That actually makes me wonder if the author was expecting her readers to be stupid. Which says more than it should, come to think of it.

**"Ok, so for this next one… a sound soul resides in a sound body and a sound _" (A/N)**

**"Mind." Makka answered.**

Maka: _This is basic knowledge_! It was drilled into our heads on the first day! We do not need to study this! If you can't think of anything else for us to study, _don't bother_!

**"**_**Hmm, something tells me she doesn't actually need my help." **_**Kid thought nervously.**

All: _Gee, you think_?

_**I don't want to lead her on, but… how do I break it to her?**_

**"*Sigh* Makka, you don't really need help- so why… did you ask me to help you? You know you're a genius at this."**

Crona: Exactly!

Kid: Absolutely.

Liz: Duh.

Patty: Obviously!

Maka: …*blush*

**"I just, well I don't see… what's it to you Kid? I mean, were all going to have to do group soul links, so spending quality time isn't such a bad idea anyways…" she replied looking at her shoes.**

**Kid scooted his chair closer… (1)**

Kid: What the…?

Maka: …_footnotes_? Seriously?

**"You're right but… our souls seem to be rejecting each other. At this rate, we won't be able to link our wavelengths."**

**Kid mentally sighed with relief- hopefully this meant that Makka hadn't gotten the wrong idea. Kid paused, as Makka reached into her bag for something… there was a silence as she appeared to be trying to hide something in the bag from Kid**

**"WHAT?" she suddenly muttered to herself**

Liz: Yeah, that looked like muttering. That would be why it was in all caps.

**"Ugh, Makka? We still have the… homework you know…" He went silent as he saw her face glowing with red and was afraid that she was angry, and feared a book might have been what she was searching for.**

**She leaned closer to him, a serious look on his face. He stared at her, waiting for her to do something. She closed her eyes and quickly pressed her lips against his. For a moment she held it there, and because Kid was either too shocked or whatever the case may be, she gained confidence enough to poke her tongue through his teeth, begging for entrance**

Kid: …*head hits tray*

Liz: Whoa, little much for a first-timer there-

Maka: *frustrated scream*

Crona: *twitch*

**"**_**O- oh craps, oh crap oh crap!**__**What's she doing? Oh no, o no…" (**_**Kid)**

**"M-mfff!" (Kid)**_** Oh no! Our souls are rejecting even more- if she doesn't stop soon…"**_

**Kid pulled away as though his life depended on it, with so much force he almost knocked Makka to the ground. "Uh, I just noticed something, I um, I- my toilet paper may be left in a square- I need to fold it- you know- You know uh… symmetry and whatnot is good and stuff so seeyah!"With that he bolted towards the bathroom, for only the second time it seemed, pretending to be interested in symmetry, rather as an excuse.**

**Once in the bathroom, Kid actually did make sure that the toilet paper was symmetrical, and sighed once he found it to be true: **_**At least **_**something **_**went right today- jeez… I hope I didn't hurt Makka's feelings, but honestly, where did **_**that**

_**come from?**_

Maka: Godawful writing from a person I'm going to drown in _boiling lava_!

_***~Down stairs~ sriats nwoD~* (Kid insisted -_-) (o/w/o symmetry!)**_

Kid: I did no such thing! And not even symmetry can distract me from the fact that this is an absolutely mockery of who we are! You couldn't be more wrong if I provided you a how-to guide on how to get us wrong myself!

**"Nya! Well, looks like its final! You are naturally unattracted to Kid-o! Did you try the tongue thing I suggested? Oh- it looked so cute! I wanna turn; he's almost as cute as scythe boy!**_** Nya-ha!" **_**Blair had poked her head out of Makka's bag, still in cat form.**

Crona: …is…does this person think Blair is a pedophile?

Maka: That is just all kinds of wrong…

**"Ugh, fine by me- he wasn't even looking! Besides, he's not as good as…"Makka stopped; a noise was coming from upstairs,**

Patty: Not as good as who?

Maka: *groans* Do you even need to ask…?

**where one of Kid's may bathrooms were. "Shh- Blair hide, I think he's coming back and you're supposed to be at Black* Star's." She said while shoving Blair into the bag unceremoniously.**

**She watched as Kid climbed slowly down the stairs, like a scared kitten in the home of a wild wolf.**

**"…."**

**Kid stared at her and slowly sat down, though this time a little farther away from her than before;**

**"…."**

**As he sat down, he tried to pretend that what happened early was only a dream of some sort.**

**"Ahem… Makka, are you feeling ok?"Kid asked, still a little shaken.**

**He tried looking into her eyes. "Pfft- Of **_**course **_**I am Kid! I just, you know, wanted to see what it would be like… for practice! Yeah, that's right- you know, for Soul and stuff…**

Maka: *head hits tray*

Liz: OK, that is so totally not something Maka would do!

Patty: Yeah! That was completely slutty of her! Why in the-…Crona? You OK?

Crona: *looking down, shaking while muttering to himself*

Liz: …might want to leave him alone right now, Patty…

**after all, your gay right?"**

Kid: Wait, _what_?

Maka: …whoa, there's a flashback.

**In reality, Makka knew full well that Kid wasn't gay, but she was searching for an excuse and getting desperate.**

_***Kid sweat drops* Do I- do I really appear that way? (Kid, duh)**_

Liz: If it was obvious, why did you put it there?

_**Oh jeez, well it's at least something.(Makka)**_

**"No, Makka… I'm not gay! You know that…" Kid said a little awkwardly.**

**"Nya!"**

**"Um, what was that?"(Kid)**

**"N-nothing…" (Makka)**

**she dug into her back-pack again, and this time Kid backed farther away.**

**"OK KIDDIES THIS IS GETTING BOR**_**ING!**_** Luckily Blair- Chan's here to help you out~ Nya!"**

**Out of nowhere, the flirtatious kitten hopped out of the bag still in cat form, which was lucky for poor Kid.**

**"WHEW! Its sure was hot in there! Hey, Kid, soooo now that Makka-Chan knows she in love soul-kun, whatta-ya say we you know you take something up of our own." ;)**

Maka: _Why_? Why has no one actually given a reason as to why I could be interested in Soul?

Crona: …and why is there another one of those "emoticons" in with the dialogue? You couldn't write that she actually winked? Are you that lazy?

**Makka and Kid stood shocked, watching the kitten.**

_**At least now I know what's going on but… why Blair? (Kid)**_

Maka: Good question!

***Later*(so lazy)**

Kid: Then why are you writing?

Crona: I guess she _is_ that lazy…

**After everything was cleared up, Kid and Blair gave Makka some pointers for Soul. "Ok, so the key to a man's heart lies in a woman's symmetry, remember that! Next time, you should really work on that." Kid reminded her.**

***Blair was nodding in the backround, paying more attention to Kid's body.***

Kid: AGH!

Maka: Seriously, what the hell? Blair isn't a pedophile! What is _wrong_ with you?

**Makka looked like she might chop him before he added: "Though it **_**was **_**sloppy, I have to admit that it was mildly enjoyable." He added looking down.**

Kid: *head hits tray*

**"Thanks Kid! Well, thanks guys, I'll see you at school, but don't tell Soul what happened ok! Not even Liz- definitely not Patty."**

**She called behind her as she walked behind her, waving the whole time.**

_**Whew, glad that's over- now I got to iron my shirt…(kid)**_

**As soon Makka left, Kid reached for his phone. He dialed the number to the school through the private line (4242564)**

Maka: _We know what the number is_!

**Kid: Hello?**

**Lord Death: Hiyah Hiyah- Kid-o Kun! I can expect that your usual three stripes are looking as good as ever!**

Liz: Now, Kid, just don't listen to the terrible writer.

Patty: Yeah, she wouldn't know what makes you look good even if it was staring her in the face!

Kid: *groans* Just let me die in peace…

**Kid: ... Honorable father, can you please just get Crona to the phone.(Kid was on the verge of tears, and wanted to get off the phone with his father as soon as possible.(2)**

**Death: O-kay- Spirit, can you please send this phone to Crona- Chan for me? Kid-o wants to talk to 'em.**

**Kid: Thank you father…**

**A/N****:(1)makka can see souls, but kid cant, so he got closer to try and sense the wavelengths**

Kid: That is completely untrue! I'm the son of Death itself, obviously I can see souls!

**(2)poor kid- he mentioned his stripes**

**And btw, don't yell at me in the reviews saying Crona is a boy! I don't know how to deal with YAOI Crona, so LEAVE ME ALONE!**

Maka: _Then why are you doing this_? If you don't think this is the case, don't write it! This isn't rocket science, it's _common fucking sense_!

**All right, byes**

**Makka: Ugh, kissing Kid was horrible*thinks* can't wait for me and soul's turn ^/ ^**

Maka: *groans*

**Kid: How awkward- Makka, did you realize you kissed me with more effort on the left side than the right? And you really need to work on the tongue thing, I mean, really, just do it symmetrically, it mustn't go all over the place -_-**

Kid: Oh, yes, by all means, make me feel even _worse_ about that!

**Makka: : ( Makka-a chop!**

**Crona: I don't know how to deal with this**

Crona: For once, my catchphrase is appropriate…

***Ragnarok* Like I said earlier- WHERES MY FOOD!**

**Soul:*murmuring* Not cool Makka -_-;**

Patty: Pointless cameo alert!

**Unison: Sorry it was so long, stay tuned for the next one!**

***patty***

**Hahaha! Kid got a boner~ Kid got a bon-err!**

**Ragnarok: this chapter sucked**

Liz: Amazing how Ragnarok is right for once.

Crona: He usually is with these fics…

**Me: I'm a worthless pig- a pile of garbage that the world needs to spit up and destroy after raping my dead body and using my blood as lubricant and peeing in my ripped out eyeball! T^T**

**Kid: O_O whoa**

All: *stunned silence*

Maka: …well, damn, there go any insults I could've made. No way I'm going to even try to top that…

**A/N: Heh, heh, so, this is the 4th chapter eh? Awesome… really awesome. Not much to say here, so enjoy.**

Patty: Any bets on how little we'll enjoy this?

Others: No.

**BANGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! CCRRRRRRRRAAAAASHHH!**

**"Oi- Maka, go see what Blair's doing in the kitchen."**

**"*sigh* Fine, whatever."**

**Maka grumbled. Why couldn't Soul find out anything for himself? Then she stopped- after all, this is Blair we're talking about- she wouldn't want Soul in the same room as her. She sucked it up and entered the kitchen.**

**"Blair… what are you doing in here?" It was a few days after Kid and Makka's "incident" (which was not mentioned to Soul or Crona), and Maka had already confessed her feelings for Soul.**

Maka: *head hits tray* Fan-friggin'-tastic…

**(Ragnarok: Symmetry-Chan is a lazy writer-not to mention flat-chested**

Liz: …despite him being right, what was the point of that?

***! 8SY-MMET-TRY~CHOP8!*)**

Crona: …uh-oh.

Maka: _I will devour her blood_!

**They had been closer than usual recently, but that didn't mean there weren't still arguments here and there.**

Liz: Well, considering she just confessed to him, I'd like to think that they would be "closer than usual".

**As Makka stepped into the kitchen, a large salmon nearly whacked her in the face- it instead fell into the chair next to Makka, by the table.**

**"Whoa! B-Blair, what's going on?" Makka asked. At first glance, the kitchen was unrecognizable. Salt was gushing from the cabinets, flour lay spilled on the floor, fish scales floated in the air, and smoke was escaping from the oven- (wtf?)**

Patty: Stop trying to tell us what to think, you fucking brainwasher!

**"Oh, hey Makka-Chan, I'm just preparing for Kid-o and Crona-Chan to come- I want them to have the bestest (1) food so they really get in the mood~nya-ha!"**

Kid: *covers mouth* Oh God…she wasn't trying to imply…

Crona: *head hits tray* Well, sleeping was nice while it lasted…

**Makka just stood there gaping at the disaster for a second or two. After regaining her composure- and closing her gaping mouth-she finally spoke.**

**"Blair… I told you I would take care of it- just let me handle it ok. Now where's the broom…" Makka decided she would have to clean up a little herself- she **_**would**_** as Blair for help cleaning (since she had a number of spells and all) but knowing Blair, it would only end in a lot more work. After all, it was her idea to invite Kid and Crona over. The whole idea was for it to be a kind of secret double date, to help Kid and Crona to get together… she remembered all too fondly, the day Crona's gender was revealed…**

Liz: Yeah, because you kept it such a secret up until now…

_**It was a typical day walking home from Shibusen, when Crona suddenly stopped in her tracks. Black*Star was on the left of her, and Makka was on the right, where as Kid was in the back of everyone, and Soul was speeding ahead.**_

**"**_**What's wrong, Crona-Chan?" Makka asked with a smile. It was a clear and beautiful day, and everyone was in high spirits (Black*star: of course! **_**I **_**WAS THERE! NYA-HAHAHAH!)**_**,**

Maka: Oh brother…

Patty: Do all these fics make Black*Star so annoying?

Crona: They do…every single one…

_**and the best part, was that Stein was absent (2), so there was no dissecting to be done.**_

Crona: …OK, why bother mentioning that…?

_**Crona rubbed her left arm.**_

**"**_**Um, Makka-Chan, Ragnarok told me about… what s… s… se-"**_

**"**_**Don't worry Crona! Don't believe anything that bastard says!" Makka interrupted, panicked. Soul sped up a little, so that he wouldn't be caught into the conversation, Black*Star laughed like a retard,**_

Maka: No! Political correctness! Come back! We'll be good!

_**and Kid held his breath a little.**_

**"**_**Sex is a beautiful thing! It should only be between two people who **_**love **_**each other, and it should be done as long as none of your friends and Blair is out of the way first! (3*Hahaha).**_

Maka: …and hello, sudden sense of foreboding…

Crona: Oh, so I'm not alone in that…

_**There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, where Kid fidgeted, Soul hid appeared to be hiding something around his nose area(4), Black*Star stifled a chuckle, and Makka stared dreamily into space.**_

Liz: …sounds like-

Maka: No.

Liz: You didn't even let me finish.

Maka: Whatever you were going to say, I'm denying it. Nothing happened. _Nothing_.

**"**_**Well, Ragnarok said since I'm a girl, I have to…" (Crona)**_

**"**_**WHAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT!" (Makka)**_

**"**_**Y… y- your…?" (Soul)**_

**"**_**Nya-HAHAHA!-I knew it! How can I, the great Black*Star not know! But you sure are flat…"**_

**"**_**Mak-ka-a- CHOP!"**_

Liz: *monotone* Oh wow, what a shock, I didn't see that coming at all.

_**Kid hadn't said anything though, and when Makka turned around for a peek, she saw blush creeping up his cheeks (5).**_

…

**"**_**Ok, bye-bye Crona- we'll see you tomorrow, have a nice day."**_

_**Makka, Soul, and Kid were the only ones left now, after walking Crona, and Black*Star home (actually, he decided to walk on his hands all the way to his house).**_

Kid: That was necessary information…

**"**_**So- Kid, you like Crona huh? I just knew it! That explains why-"(Makka)**_

**"**_**Oi! Makka- that's not cool- don't bombard Kid with questions- and really, you shouldn't mention a 'you know what' to a guy, it's embarrassing."**_

_**Kid stood there, the pale white of his face now tainted a dark crimson.**_

**"**_**Who said that, I didn't… I mean…"(Kid)**_

**"**_**Oh come on, Kid, it's not like we're gonna make fun of you…being in denial isn't cool ya know. Besides, I saw it too- don't think I didn't, and I understand."(Soul)**_

**"…**_**."**_

**"…**_**.."**_

**"**_**Alright, fine! So I like her- so I knew she was a girl for a while! Can we give this up already, I don't think my candles are uniform, I think I may have let the left one burn a little too much… Oh crap, maybe my portraits a little to the side…"**_

**"**_**Kid. You are seriously… the only person I know- who would want to check if their 'candles are uniform'. Seriously." (Makka)**_

Maka: This is true.

Kid: I have a condition, dammit!

_**There was silence for a while (besides Kid's constant muttering over his toilet paper and picture frames) before Makka spoke again. " Hey! I have an idea! Me and Soul are going out already, so why don't we have a double date? Kid, you can come with Crona, and Black*Star, Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty, just have to be there for a little while (so they won't be suspicious) and you and Crona can stay longer with me and Soul, you know to bond better without any disturbances."**_

**"**_**Pfft- Makka, sometimes you sound so girly- really, a double date?"(Soul)**_

_**Soul expected a direct chop, but was surprised at Makka's reaction**_

**" **_**Oh, come on Soul… remember our last date? Hmm?"**_

_**At this point, Kid is looking off into space awkwardly, and Soul seems to be dying of blood loss.**_

Liz: …Maka, seriously, it looks like-

Maka: Will you just leave me to my denial?

**"**_**O-ok, fine… Kid, be at our house on oct.12 (6). Don't be late- it'll start at 7:00."(Soul)**_

**"**_**Alright, I'll be there, but I can't guaranty it'll be at such an awful time"(Kid)**_

…_**..**_

**Makka brightened at the idea of Crona being able to find love. Even though she couldn't stand Kid because of his symmetry, she had to admit, he **_**was **_**handsome, and a much better boyfriend than someone like Black*Star for someone as nervous as Crona. She just hoped this would work.**

Kid: How do you figure? We'd be completely incompatible! I'd drive him-…her crazy with my OCD, and there's no way I could actually help her with her fear of…well, everything! …no offense, Crona.

Crona: None taken…

**She looked at the clock (shaped like Felix the cat) and gasped.**

**"Oh SHART (7) - It's almost time, and this stuff is still everywhere!"**

Maka: *facepalm* Fuck's sake, really…?

**She ran around frantically, trying to toss things in the trash while at the same time stuffing things into the large silver refrigerator.**

**"Makka, I'm finished, so you should probably hurry up and get dressed too its almost-waaaaah!"**

**Makka, who was busy trying to move dishes, scaled fish, and pans out of the way, ran straight into Soul, who was just entering the kitchen, colliding with him, and sending the items flying. She landed (conviently-heheheh) into Soul's arms, and both were on the floor in no- time, Soul's back against the wall, Makka sitting- facing Soul's face- on his lap.**

Maka: *hits head against tray repeatedly*

Liz: Dear God, is this author even trying?

**"…"**

**"…"**

**"Aww! You two are **_**so**_** cute! I love it- don't worry, I'll take care of this mess for you guys ok- Nya!"**

**Blair, who was watching from on top of the refrigerator the whole time, jumped down, and transformed into her human self, wearing her usual get-up.**

**"N-no, Blair, you don't have to! Remember last time!"(Makka)**

**"Oh, it's ok Makka-Chan- I know just how to do it now, so don't you worry!"(Blair)**

**Makka buried her face into Soul's chest, bracing herself for the explosion that was sure to come, just like last time, and thanked God it was Soul she had cuddled into.**

Maka: *continues to beat head with tray*

Kid: …you know, you're probably going to get some sort of brain damage if you keep doing that…

Maka: That'd be a blessing at this point!

**There was a bright flashing light and everyone in the room was blinded. When it went away, Makka and Soul expected to have been transported to a new world, or their kitchen remodeled in just the wrong way, but got a major shock when they lifted their heads.**

**"WOAH! Blair- you- you really **_**did **_**learn to do it right!"(Makka)**

**"COOL!"(Soul)**

**"Wow! I did it! I did it! Yah! Excuse me guys, I'll be back home later than usual- probably not until tomorrow- I'm gonna go and celebrate!" Blair said- then she winked and set off, transforming into a purple kitten and slinking out of the specially installed kitty door.**

…**.(Ragnarok: stop skipping to scenes you lazy pig!- me: :0… *! 8SY-MMET-TRY~CHOP8!*)…**

Maka: _Drink it as it pours from her disemboweled body!_

**"Well, this place is neat all of a sudden… how long did it take you to clean it, it looks really good, I'm impressed." Tsubaki complemented. Black*Star sat at her left side, at the end of a long, oak table. Everyone had come along, except for Kid, who wouldn't dare come at 7:00, and everyone wore fancy clothing for the occasion. Tsubaki was draped in a long, black over coat that served partly as a dress. Underneath were checkered leggings that were green and yellow, and long black boots with ribbons on the sides, near the zippers- her hair was in two long braids, all the way down to her waist. Patty had on a dress that Liz picked out for her- it was a pink over all dress with a white tank top underneath. Her shoes were black also, with white buckles at the top. She was wearing a pink, white, and red pinstriped beret on her head, which was tilted a little to the left (kid: grrrrrr) and a silver necklace around her neck. Liz herself was wearing her usual hair style, a long white shirt and a long black skirt that went down to her knees. Her shoes were open toed clogs that made her look even taller, and a black chain around her neck.**

Patty: Do they always devote a paragraph to what someone's wearing?

Maka: Yep.

Crona: Every time…

**Makka was donning twisties on either side of her head, clipped in place by red bows that had a little mini reaper masks in the middle of both. She had on a red-ish – pinkish dress that stopped a little lower than her hips, nearly reaching her knees but stopping short. It ended in a frill that made it poofy, and she wore stockings that also had frills at the top, a ribbon on both sides, and black tap shoes.**

Crona: *blush*

Patty: *stares at Crona*

Crona: …w-what?

Patty: You know, I never really noticed it before…but you're actually kinda cute, Crona.

Crona, Maka, Liz: *spittake*

Kid: Ah! No, no, that won't do at all! That was completely asymmetrical! Liz, Maka, do it again!

Liz & Maka: *still recovering*

Kid: *sighs* Fine! Crona!

Crona: Buh?

Kid: Patty said you were cute!

Crona & Kid: *spittake*

Kid: There we go!

**As for the boys, Black*Star- with Tsubaki's influence- wore a black tuxedo with a long black tie in the middle of his long white shirt. He had on black pants and his shoes were plain black, with wood on the soles. Soul was wearing a red and black pin-striped suit, black shoes with white sides and black 'buttons' and a red undershirt. His hair was combed a little, and he didn't have on any headband.**

**The only ones that weren't there were Crona and Death the Kid, who were supposed to be arriving together.**

Kid: But you just said I was the only one who hadn't arrived, so wouldn't that mean…oh, forget it…

**"Can you believe Blair-Chan did this? She finally made use of her magic, don't you think?"(Makka)**

**"Oh, she did- well I must admit it **_**is**_** very lovely. She really has advanced."(Tsubaki)**

**"Pfft- girls, oi, Black*Star, been doing anything interesting lately?"(Soul)**

**"Who do you think you're talking to here? After all, it **_**is I **_**the GREAT BLACK*STAR! YA-HOOO!"**

Maka: That didn't actually answer his question…

**The party continued like this for a while- until the point when Black*Star nearly cracked his head on the wood floor standing on his chair, and Tsubaki had to save him- until at exactly 8:00. There was a knock at the door at this time-**

**"I'll get it everybody." Makka waltzed to the door and looked through the peep-hole. Of course, it was Kid, and Crona who was cowering behind him, looking nervous.**

**"Oh, finally Kid, you're here… and you look- pretty good actually." She greeted, wide eyed.**

**Kid sat near Liz, leaving an empty seat for the next guest.**

**Kid wasn't wearing his usual symmetrical suit, which was rare. He had on a long sleeved white shirt with the collars turned up- the sleeve's cuffs were pressed and straight and almost went past the palms.**

**The shoulders were slightly rounded - The collar is turned up slightly, and a red bow is holding it tight in the middle. Over the white shirt is a black vest that buttons down the middle, and crisp black slacks garnish the reaper's pale legs. In a word, he looks **_**different.**_

Kid: Impostor! Fraud! Burn the witch! _Burn her_!

Liz: …that actually still sounded pretty symmetrical.

Kid: …it's still an impostor!

**"Look who's trying to out-shine me eh! Nya-Hahaha! Go ahead, Kid, I'll let you take the light- for **_**now**_** of course." Everyone chose to ignore this, seeing as Black*Star would only get his arse kicked by Kid in a battle.**

Kid: This, admittedly, is true.

**"What took you so long eh Kid?" Soul asked**

**"Huh? What do you mean; I came at **_**exactly**_** 8:00- what's wrong with that?"**

**"Never mind, Kid- so have you seen Crona lately?" Soul asked…**

Crona: Wait…didn't it say that I-…I mean, that she was right behind him?

**Kid felt his face flush- must he really have to sound so **_**smug**_** all the time.**

**"Don't worry Kid, we **_**all**_** know about you and Crona you don't have to be so embarrassed." He continued**

**"Yeah Kid-o! That's why you got a boner huh?" Patty squealed.**

***Everyone sweat-drops***

**"P-patty- you- I err- I have to go to the bathroom." Kid excused himself and rushed to the bathroom.**

**Liz sighed at her sister-"Really Patty? Stop blurting things out all the time."**

**Kid came back in a few minutes later, the red in his cheeks gone, a look of seriousness on his face.**

***BING ~~~~~~~~~~~BONG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_**BING!***_

**The door bell rang**

**"I'll get it…" Kid said, as an excuse to get away from the other. He walked to the door and opened it, revealing Crona.**

**"H-h- hi, Kid-o kun …" She said, rubbing her left arm**

**Kid just stares at her for a second, wide eyed**

**"….."**

**A/N: This chapter is over now.**

Patty: Unnecessary cliffhanger ho!

**YES- I **_**did**_** make her say 'bestest'- NO- I do not support Nikki Manaje or however you spell her name**

Liz: Aaaaaand what does a have to do with b?

**No offense to Stein fans, I didn't mean to seem like I was disrespecting him, I actually like stein**

Crona: Then why even mention him?

**If you didn't get what I was hinting at- then: THEY GOT IT OOOOOON BAKKA!**

All: *stunned silence*

Maka: …FU-

*The following rant courtesy of Maka was deemed far too vulgar and profane, even for this fic. Therefore, try and imagine Maka mewling like a kitten for the next minute or so. And if you somehow managed to survive cuteness of that magnitude, feel free to continue reading.*

Maka: -_with a fucking baboon_!

Others: *shocked silence*

Maka: *breathing heavily*

Liz: …so, what happened to not being able to top what was said earlier?

Maka: *grit teeth* _I found the motivation_.

**Nose bleed huh, Soul?**

**Are you remembering something Kid? Something- hehehe- bonerrrific? Horrible joke but whatever, I'm not getting paid anyway -_-**

Liz: If someone was paying you for this, I'd probably have to kill them on general principle.

Patty: Oh, _now_ you wanna murder her! Way to be late to the party, sis!

**October 12- sound familiar? Well it happens to be tomorrow ( it's the 11th as I'm typing)and it **_**happens**_** to be the day Soul eater manga (which I don't own, and am not getting paid for for mentioning) chapter 79 is coming out! YAH! :]**

Kid: Woo.

**I actually don't like cussing, so I sometimes say- OH SHART! OH- dank! Or even- what the fudge- or sometimes since I read a lot of manga, I say SFX! (For Sound Effects) for a cuss word**

Patty: That's 'cause you're a pussy! And I'm gonna make sure to kick you right in your pussy-face!

**There actually is no 8 , I just wanted it to end in a symmetrical number.**

Kid: You cannot endear yourself to me, stop trying.

**But even though this sucks, I have a super secret plot/ fan fic up my sleeve that I will unleash on everyone when they least expect it! It's a different one, and its gonna rock!**

Maka: I seriously doubt that.

Crona: And there's that sense of foreboding again…

**Bye ebybody!**

Patty: Fuuuuuuuuuuck you!

**A/N: Well this chapter is finally out. Sorry for lateness, and suckiness also, but I'm trying, and it has improved a little.**

Maka: Bullcrap.

**Anyhow, not much happens here- though next chapter; IT'LL BE BETTER! (no more spoilers)**

Maka: Double bullcrap.

**special thanks to NekoInaHat , dino kid, PandaxWaffle, and PunkAssWetard for inspiration and help- you guys are awesome! :D**

Patty: No, _we_ are awesome. You guys suck on toast!

**"K-kid? Kid-o-kun?"(Crona)**

**"Are you gonna let us in, or are you just gonna stand there and look like a pervert! Crona, be careful of this guy- it thinks he wants to do that **_**thing **_**we talked about again…"**

**Ragnarok again popped out of Crona's spine, completely ruining the moment. At his comment, Crona gave a look to Kid that showed how she felt.**

Crona: Utter disgust at the entire situation?

Maka: Crona, you should know by now not to expect accuracy when it comes to these fics…

**She edged around Kid into the house, looking as though he would kill her.**

**Kid was still at the door, gaping when he realized that she had already gotten into the house, and cursed himself for being un-gentlemanly. He shook his head and followed her into the dining room.**

**As Crona picked her seat, next to Kid and sat down, she peered nervously at her other friend's shocked faces.**_** W-why are they all staring at me like that? Oh no, maybe I put on the wrong clothes- were we all supposed to dress differently? I-I d-don't know how to deal with this kind of attention.**_

**Ragnarok was again the one to break the silence: "What are all you bakas lookin' at? You must be planning to mess with Crona- well that's **_**my**_** job, so BACK OFF!" Crona just looked awkwardly into the distance, avoiding Kid's eyes, as he happened to be sitting right next to her.**

**"N-no- it's not that, it's just that"(Tsubaki)**

**"Crona, you look kawaii~!" Patty, who had also been peeking at Crona, suddenly said.**

Patty: What the hell does that even mean and why am I saying it?

Maka: It's Japanese for "cute". And if you ever say that aloud, I will have to hurt you.

Patty: I'd have to _let_ you, because I would've gotten way too stupid to live.

**Everyone nodded, including a scarlet-faced Kid, who tried not to stare too hard.**

**"C-crona, I love it! You gotta tell me where you got that outfit!" Maka giggled.**

**Crona looked down at herself- she had on a short blue dress, which ended in white ruffles- just above where the ruffles began, were miniature blue and white pin-striped bows. The same bows were seen on the tips of her sleeves, which also ended in white ruffles. On her wrists were white (symmetrical) collars, and behind her was a large pin-striped bow. Her hair was tied in miniature ponytails, tied with solid blue, and the bangs were left in her face. Her socks were frilly at the tips and had mini blue bows (on either side I might add) and her shoes were black with black bows, what looked like the same kind that dancers wore.**

**It was a nice change from the usual stiff-looking black dress, and might I remind you, all bows were on either side?**

Kid: _Alright already_! I get it, it's supposed to be appealing to me! It isn't working!

**"Th-thank y-y-you, Maka…Patty… Uh, B-blair-san (1) bought it for me."She smiles nervously at this, and snatches a quick glance at Kid- their eyes accidentally meet, and both turn away embarrassed and equally red.**

**"Y-y-you look… really n-nice Crona…"**_**Ah crap! I sound ridiculous- I'm scum, filthy dirty scum!**_** Kid thinks- then, as an afterthought:**_** Her stuttering surely is contagious.**_

Crona: I-It is not!

_**DING DING DING DING DING!**_

**" Ah, that must be the food- I'll get it~" Maka says with a smile- as soon as she is gone, Soul starts making signals to Kid:**

**"**_**Scoot closer to her." **_**He mouths from the corner of his mouth. Tsubaki nods at Kid also, and Black*Star gives a double thumbs up.**

**Ragnarok has gone back inside Crona's body, lying in wait for the food to arrive, as Crona looks off into space again.**

_**8sigh8(2)**_

Kid: I just told you, _it isn't working_!

_**Now's as good as a time as any.**_** Kid gently scoots his chair to Crona's side.**_** So far, so good.**_

**" Hey, Kid, how come you're so close to Crona eh? If you really do what I think, you'd better use a condom or" Soul face-palmed himself. Tsubaki sweat-dropped. Black*Star held back a snicker.**

**Liz jumped (literally **_**leaped**_**) from her seat and forced her hand over Patty's mouth.**

**"H-hehehe… Come on Patty; let's go see if Maka needs help in the kitchen ok?" She put on her best fake smile and dragged the shorter sister into the kitchen with her.**

**"Yeah, and- and **_**I**_**'**_**m**_** going to go see if uh, there is enough ingredients for the desert!" Soul bounced up from her seat and rushed behind the Thompson's.**

**"And they can't hope to accomplish**_** anything**_** without me! Come on, Tsubaki, maybe some bad guys will be there, tryna steal the food!" Then Tsubaki and Black*Star sped off after the others (Tsubaki giving an apologetic bow towards Kid before following.)**

Liz: OK, this is getting ridiculous! Patty isn't an idiot! She would know not to say anything in that situation! I swear to God, if this keeps up, I'm taking the first blunt object I can find and caving this author's skull in!

Patty: Goddamn straight!

**Now there was only Kid and Crona in the room, giving Kid the urge to leave, seeing as Crona still seemed afraid of him.**

**He turned to his side, only to see that Crona was staring directly at him, a nervous expression on her face.**

**"K-kid- you wouldn't do t-**_**that **_**would you?"**

Kid: _NO_! …no offense-

Crona: Why would I be offended by that?

**Kid only needed to think 0.8 seconds before responding-**

Kid: That isn't symmetrical! The 0. throws it off completely! Stop trying to make me like you, you're failing miserably!

**"No- of course not, never- Trust me!"**

**He immediately regretted it, based on how she responded; she looked down at the ground and frowned slightly, which actually made her look pretty cute.**

**"Crona, I didn't mean it like that- its just- s-sex is for… it's for… you have to be…"**

**She looked up at him, expecting a **_**perfect**_** and**_** exact **_**answer from Kid, though for once, he couldn't think of the correct way to put things.**

**In the kitchen, Black*Star, Liz, Soul, Maka, Patty, and Tsubaki were huddled near the doorway, gazing into the dining room, observing the couple.**

**"Patty! What did I tell you about saying things like that so randomly- you gotta stop mentioning that kinda stuff- jeez!" (Liz)**

**Patty put on her best puppy-dog face (something she seemed to have picked up from Kid) and sighed**

**"I'm sorry onee-chan~ I won't do it again, I promise!"she vowed, with a mock serious face.**

**Maka, who had the best view of anyone sighed- "This isn't going anywhere- were stuck in the same place- we have to do**_** something**_** to get them to really **_**click!**_**"**

Liz: _WHY_? Why do they need to be together? Why is it so important that we make it happen? Why are we even getting involved to begin with? Explain, fic! _Explain_!

**Tsubaki shook her head-"They seem to like each other but… even though Crona **_**does**_** look more symmetrical than usual, she still has those crazy ideas about sex"**

**'Yeah, she thinks that Kid only wants to get her in bed and anything else Ragnaroks been telling her- she's just scared of him now I think…" (Soul)**

Crona: Considering how he's been acting, what other impression did you expect me-…her to get?

**"Well, I know, why don't we do this- since Crona and Kid like each other, we just need to bring up more subjects on each of them: for example, we can just so **_**happen **_**to mention how much Kid loves symmetry, and add how symmetrical Crona looks(minus the hair of course, steer away from that) and then say something about how much Kid really does except Crona, and that'll make her feel better and more confident, since he's a boy that likes her- that way, they're feeling better about each other without actually having to do much themselves- and once we leave, everything will already be romantic enough for them to take things further." The speaker took a breath and waited for the others to respond.**

**"…"**

**They stared at Patty for a few seconds and nodded in agreement.**

**"Wow Patty- that's actually a pretty good plan." Maka complimented.**

Maka: No it isn't! It's a terrible plan! In real life it could blow up in our faces about a million different ways! But since this author wouldn't understand real life situations even while they're happening to her, this is clearly going to work perfectly!

**"Thanks! Can I has ice-cream for dinner? I want some with little marshmallows in them~hoo-ray!" She then spun in a circle on her toes and gazed out the kitchen window-"A squirlly a squirlly!-hehehehe!-"**

Patty: _HEY_! I do _not_ like marshmallows on my ice cream!

**"Well, that's my sister… Should we go back in there now- Kid's just trying to describe sex, so I think this is a good time to save him."**

**Everyone nodded and grabbed trays of food from the counter to take into the dining room- everyone except for Patty who was still staring at the window, now threatening a light brown squirrel that she would break it's neck.**

Patty: I'm gonna break _your_ fucking neck as soon as I find you!

**"Come on Patty."(Liz)**

**"Okie~dokie!"**

**"Here's the food! I made everything individually to fit everyone's taste~enjoy." Maka says as she enters the dining room.**

_**Thank God. **_**Kid had still not been able to answer, and would have dreaded any extra time with a questioning Crona. Maka, Soul, Liz, Patty, Black*Star , and Tsubaki each held trays (black*star held 3 for himself, Crona and Kid) and placed them gently on to the oak table.**

**Soul rubbed his hands together-"Alright! Finally, something good!"**

**"Thank you for the food!"(Tsubaki)**

**"YAHOO! I'm **_**starving**_**- let's eat!"(Black*Star)**

**"Bet you can't eat as much as me!"(Patty)**

**"Patty, you know how you get in a competition- just calm down a little and eat like a lady, please."(Liz, with a sigh)**

**They all watched Kid and Crona from the corner of their eyes to see how they would react- Crona had a look of gentle hunger and Kid looked as though he would be sick.**

**"Crona, here, I made your plate for you."(Tsubaki) she handed her a white plate filled with some of Crona's favorite foods; Mashed potatoes (she was often starved, and at first had to be fed such things to regain weight), broccoli, and shrimp.**

Crona: …no comment…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**She gratefully thanked Tsubaki and Maka and dug in.**

**"Hmm- wassa mather Kip- kut?" Patti asked, with a mouthful of chicken. She stared curiously at her meister, as Liz could be heard in the backround, scolding her for talking with a full mouth.**

**"Hmm- it's nothing it's just I **_**think **_**that **_**maybe **_**in my rush to get here at 8:00, I might of accidently brushed against a painting in the main hallway- I could have knocked it about 5 or 6 inches to the right." He said- everyone adapted pained expressions on their faces.**

**"Hey- you know, Crona, remember the basket we all got you- how did you enjoy your painting(2)?"**

**Liz decided to change the subject as soon as possible- she waited for Crona to reply before shooting a peek at Kid, who had stopped worrying about his own painting to hear what Crona had to say.**

**"O-oh, the one, shingami-kun made for me… it's really nice- I put it next to ." She replied, a little absentmindedly. She turned to face Kid- "T-thank you, Kid…" She flashed him a tentative smile.**

_**Damn**_**-**_** she's so cute when she does that-**_** "Your welcome, Crona. I'm glad you liked it- and that at least someone besides me enjoys symmetry." He returned the smile, and then looked her over once more.**

_**It's just those bangs, that's it- all I need to do is even them out and they'll be perfect.**_

Kid: …Crona, seriously-

Maka: Do _not_ start that again!

**Meanwhile, Liz and the gang noticed Kid's facial expression and were aware what it might lead to- they had to keep his mind off her hair for a while longer.**

**"Wow this is good Maka- Black*Star what food did you get? I've got Salmon, carrots, and chicken slices. "(Soul)**

**"Oh, me, I've got- chicken, a baked potato with bacon, and mozzarella sticks (3). How 'bout you Liz?"**

**"I've got a garden salad, some garlic bread and spaghetti. Gotta watch my wait ya know? Patty?"**

**"Chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese and fries!" She looked at Tsubaki and Maka in turn.**

**"Ramen noodle, shrimp, and leeks (4)."(Tsubaki)**

**"Uh, just pork chop and salad for me."(Maka)**

Maka: Why are we talking about what we're eating? a) I think we can all see for ourselves, and b) if I supposedly cooked it all myself, I think I'd already know!

Liz: More of that needless description that seems to keep popping up, I guess…

Maka: …good point.

**Crona peered at Kid-"K-kid- how come you haven't eaten anything?" she asked, concerned.**

**Her eyes fell to his plate; steak, shrimp, broccoli. It looked good to her.**

**He shrugged. "It's just- the symmetry's a little off. And it would be difficult for me to-"**

**"K-kid- you should eat it anyhow- after all, everything is A-symmetrical **_**sometimes**_** right…?"**

**Crona had interrupted, and now he stared at her, eyes wide- **_**Everything A-symmetrical?**_

**His brows furrowed. His head bowed… with a sudden flip, his head was up again, and tears were shown in his eyes**

**"….." He sniffled – everyone stared in suspense.**

**Before he could say anything, Crona caught him with one arm… She picked up a piece of steak with his fork in her hand, and gingerly brought it to his lips…**

**"Here… you can't starve yourself… It's not good for you. Nothing can always be symmetrical,K-kid."**

Kid: Lies! Slanderous lies!

**She gingerly pressed it to his lips.**

**"…"**

**"…" With a one last look of regret, Kid picked the slice of steak off with his teeth and blushed at the gesture. Crona nodded with satisfaction.**

**"T-there… that wasn't so bad..." Again, she flashed Kid a nervous smile, and hid her own crimson cheeks.**

**"Thank you." Kid, for once, was being dominated by a nervous Crona, but for some reason, that didn't matter. For once, not even symmetry mattered. He glanced to his side at Crona, who was making sure he would eat, and slowly raised another piece of food to his mouth.**

Kid: *frustrated scream*

Maka: Oh, yeah, that happens a lot with you in these fics. Whoever you're with will make you "forget symmetry" or whatever.

Kid: An absolutely perfect woman could walk right in front of me and I _still_ wouldn't forget about symmetry! It just can't happen!

Crona: …lucky you won't be staying to see the Sues…

**CRONA POV**

Maka: Oh, _not again_!

**I stared at a heart-broken Kid, as his eyes filled with tears from the un-symmetrical food. I mustered up all of my courage to do what I thought was right; "Here, Kid, you have to eat." I pressed the food to his lips, praying he wouldn't kill me. He stared at me for a few seconds, which almost made me regret my actions- but after all, he was my friend, and no-one should go hungry. Even if he denied… I-I'd make him… he took the food from the fork using his teeth, and I sighed in relief. Finally, that was over.**

**With a turn, I saw all eyes on me- Maka, and the rest of my friends just gazed at me, smiling and honestly, scaring me- what did I **_**do?**_

**At that time, I felt a rustling in my stomach, and groaned with exasperation- Ragnarok was coming out for food. I tried to choke down as much food as I could, before he came out and ate the rest.**

**"Crona, you pink faced whore- why didn't you wake me up for food! Give ne that- It looks good!"**

**Kid nearly choked ("GWAHT?")- was it my fault?**

**"K-kid, are you ok?" I asked for the second time.**

**"Kid- what are you talking about **_**Kid, huh?**_** What about me, I'm starvin'!" Ragnarok steered my hand away from Kid and directed it above my plate. "NOW FEED ME!"**

**"Ragnarok, leave Crona alone!" Maka defended. She looked about ready to burst… I don't know how to deal with that…**

Crona: Oh, look, she started spelling your name right…

Maka: And it only took her four chapters to do it. What an accomplishment…

**"Maka, calm down for a second… Ragnarok, we have some food we made especially for you. Just wait right there." Soul said, as he stood up. A few seconds later, he came back with a plate full of chicken, and one item from each of me and my friend's plates. Ragnarok stared deviously at the mountain of food before gobbling it all in one swift movement. He stared down at me and uttered; "Eh- it was alright- If only **_**you**_** knew how to cook Crona, you wouldn't have to mooch from your friends."**

**I stared down in shame as he disappeared back inside- I was used to being called mean things- and even getting hurt- but I didn't like to feel as though I were only using my friends.**

**"Excuse me- I have to go to the bathroom…" I excused myself, before anyone can say otherwise- It was too hard to deal with all of their stares.**

Maka: …*nudges Crona* Hey.

Crona: Y-Yes…?

Maka: You aren't using us. You know that, right?

Crona: Y-Yeah…

Maka: Good.

**KID POV**

Maka: _Pick one_!

**I nearly choked on steak as the chibi form of Ragnarok appeared from Crona suddenly, and uttered a 'GWAHT' of surprise. After I regained my composer, and the small demon sword had sunk back into place, I peered at Crona, who was staring down at herself in disappointment. I started to say something, before she excused herself, rather hurriedly.**

**"Kid… what are you waiting for- go get her." Liz addressed me, as soon as she had left. I just looked at her with an impatient expression.**

**"Uh, she just said she was going to the bathroom- It wouldn't make sense for me to go in after her."**

**Liz just sighed with equal inpatients, and now the rest of the gang was joining in.**

**"Kid, don't you get it- stuff like this **_**always **_**happens in romance mangas, and movies and crap- the girl excuses herself, the male has to go find her… true love springs in the air- next thing you know, little candles will be lit everywhere, and you'll be the only two in the house." Maka said, gazing into space-everyone stared at her for a second, before returning to Kid.**

Liz: Yeah, there's a reason that was referred to as crap: _It doesn't actually work_!

Maka: *covers eyes* I didn't see that, I didn't see the implications, I didn't…

**"Mhmm- I suppose what Makas saying is right- she probably just feels bad because of Ragnarok."This time Tsubaki addressed me, and I admit, I was taken aback from her words.**

**"Fine- I'll go see if she's ok. But if it turns out I'll be walking in on something private, I'm blaming you guys."I got up, shaking my head as symmetrically as one can shake one's head, and headed down the long hall towards the bathroom.**

**"Crona- are you in there? Hey- I just came to see if you were all right- hello?" There was a silence on the other side of the door, and I almost headed back, until I heard a soft squeal from the other side.**

**I pressed my ear tenderly (A-symmetrically, yes, but for the moment, that doesn't matter)**

Kid: _Yes it does_!

**against the wooden door as a flustered sounding Crona stuttered a protest:**

**"N-no! I said s-stop!"**

**That was all I needed to hear, before practically knocking down the door with my foot- ad I stepped in, I got what I was expecting to see- though not at all what I wanted.**

**A/N: Hehehe- me and horrible cliffhangers-**

Patty: And horrible writing, and horrible characters, and horrible reasoning…

**anyways…. For those wondering why**

**Crona is being so 'dominent' over Kid- well, in case you forgot, she was starved, and she definitely wouldn't want her friends to go through that… she isn't just stutters all the time you know, when her friends come to mind, she'd probably do anything**

**Ragnarok: hehehe-**_** anything**_

**Me: RAGNAROK- DON'T TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENS! NO SPOILERS!**

Kid: …oh God, she couldn't possibly mean…

Crona: …why do fans hate me so much…?

**Ragnarok: As long as you mention me more… but I may stop myself if I have candy**

**Me: ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!- Please review everyone, I appreciate them, and reviews count as candy here!**

**Kid: *nosebleed* W-wait! I have to do **_**WHAT**_**!"**

**Crona: I-I don't know how to deal with that *Ragnarok*(Don't worry, I'll show you some things)**

Kid: There's still time! Liz, Patty! Kill me now before it's too late!

Crona: M-Me too! _Please_!

**Unison: Bye everyone, stay tuned for the next chapter please *maka* DON'T YOU TOUCH HER RAGNAROK!**

Crona: This is going to end in disaster…I just know it…

**A/N: Well, here we are, this chapter- thanks for all the reviews, I appreciate them, and you guys' excitement really has been inspiring me.**

Liz: People are actually _excited_ for this?

Maka: Must I say it again?

Liz: No, no, I think I got it…

**And if anyone reading this has read '****Insanity in black blood: book 1: Death the Kid'**** (my other story) please review for it- and if you haven't read it, please do so, I need help on the plot for it.**

Maka: Asking your readers for help with the plot is usually a sign that you shouldn't be writing.

**Thank you, and now- LET IT BEGIN!**

**"N-no! I said s-stop!"**

**That was all I needed to hear, before practically knocking down the door with my foot- ad I stepped in, I got what I was expecting to see- though not at all what I wanted.**

**There she was, in the bathroom, back pressed against the white tiled wall, Ragnarok hanging just above her head, a deviant grin on his usual non-existing face lips. And Crona, well- let's just say Kid got more skin then he'd seen from her before.**

Patty: Hey! It just jumped from first-person to third-person without any warning!

Maka: That'd be because the author was so lazy that she just copy/pasted the bit from the end of the last chapter.

**In a flash, several things happened at once- Ragnarok let go of the small amount of cotton fiber holding onto Crona's legs, Crona screamed, blood flew and spattered along the clean white walls, and Maka chopped a very confused Kid with another random book.**

All: *shocked silence*

Liz: What.

Patty: The.

Maka: Fuck.

Crona: *frozen in place*

Kid: *picks up nearby bucket and throws up into it*

Maka: …oh, they did add those.

**"Ah- why me- Ragnarok did it!" he shouted- (Ragnarok had disappeared again)**

**"S-sorry, Kid, my bad." She helped him off the floor, brushing him off. Kid, still holding his head, shot a nervous glance opposite of Crona. He tried and failed to remove all of the blood from his vest, and sighed in defeat, his face a burning scarlet.**

**Crona whimpered in the corner, pulling up her underwear, tears flowing down her face.**

_**W-why does this have to happen to me?**_

_**Why- do I always have to bleed all over the place?**_

Crona: *still frozen*

Patty: …I think he broke.

Maka: Crona? Crona, are you alright?

Crona: …*screams at the top of his lungs* The images! I can't get the images out of my head! Oh God, _WHY_?

Patty: Sis! We need the brain bleach!

Liz: There isn't such a thing! It's just something people made up!

Patty: Then we'll just use regular bleach!

Liz: That'll kill him!

Crona: _I'll take it anyway_!

**"Crona, I'm going to go back in the kitchen, if he comes out again, please alert me, I'll try and take care of him." Maka said, waving as she disappeared back down the hall. Kid made to follow her, but a hand grabbed his shoulder. He turned, only to gasp at the face directly in his.**

**"Er- Crona?"**

**"I'm sorry… now you'll never like me!" she said, collapsing into his chest, bawling. He could only stare down at her, his thoughts tainted with one too many inappropriate images.**

_**WHAT THE **__**HELL**__** IS GOING ON?(1)**_

Liz: _Excellent question_!

Kid: *groans* I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight…

Crona: *face against tray* Sleep's overrated, anyway…

Maka: *pats Crona's back*

**He just patted her head, a little nervously.**

**"I'm unsymmetrical- and… and you had to see me- and I was indecent!" she rambled, face still in his chest.**

Liz: Oh, nice to know she has her priorities straight…

**Well, at least now he understood- normally, she would be very shy about her er… personal areas…**

Crona: Can't imagine why…

**and for him to see her like this- not to mention she was already aware of his judgement of her- was a personal relationship really meant to be? He sighed into her hair.**

**"Crona, please, stop crying, it's ok- it's my fault, really." When she didn't stop, he lifted her chin in his hands. "Please, really- it's ok, I promise you."**

**Their eyes enveloped each other in a deep stare- his golden ones pressing into her quivering blue ones. He braced himself, gently leaning in, touching her lips with his.**

Kid & Crona: *heads hit trays*

Maka: …uh, aren't they still in the bathroom? And isn't she still…indecent? And isn't Kid still covered in-

Crona: *groans*

Maka: …never mind.

**Instead of pulling away as he expected she would, she let him continue, a new feeling springing inside of her. He pushed her further into the wall with his body, slipping his arms around her shaking waist.**

**His lips smashed against hers, as she reached a timid hand to his waist- she was copying his movements, as she had no idea what else to do with her unoccupied body parts.**

**He pulled back, a little reluctantly, gasping for breath- Crona looked at him, eyes wide with fear;**

**"S-sorry, I didn't mean to- I.." she stumbled- had she done it wrong? Was she supposed to do something else- but- nobody had explained the rules to her… what was this new experience anyway? She shook her head, trying to clear this dizzying feeling.**

**She never had learned to deal with something like this- she made a note to ask Maka- or maybe Tsubaki about it later.**

**"N-no… we just… we should go into the kitchen." He said, separating from her, and straightening his clothes. He backed away from the wall, and held his hand out for her to grab it. She complied, and gently took her hand in his.**

**They strolled into the kitchen, though once they had entered, Kid released his hands from hers and sat down, his face burning as he felt every one's eyes on him.**

Maka: Soooooo, we're just going to act like that didn't just happen?

Crona: Can we? Can we _please_ act like that didn't happen?

Kid: I would like to do the same!

**"So…."**

**Black*Star began. Everyone slowly began conversation as usual, Kid and Crona's eyes meeting every once in a while, Maka passing a nervous smirk in Kid's direction.**

**"Oh! Kid, what happened to your clothes, did you get hurt or something?"**

**Patty asked with concern. Kid just shook his head, leaving everyone else confused.**

Kid: *covers mouth* Urg…

Crona: *groans* Go back to pretending that didn't happen, please…

**Finally, Black*Star caught on, but just as he said lifted himself up, about to declare something, Tsubaki forced him down with surprising strength. (Tsubaki: U-um… not to be rude but… how is it surprising for me to be strong? Me: Uh, well…)**

Patty: No, no, that's actually a good question!

**Maka shot Black*Star a hard '' look. Soul grunted in agreement.**

Maka: …a hard what look?

**Things continued like this, everyone joking, until Tsubaki glanced at the purple cat clock mounted on the wall.**

**"Oh! Its nearly 12! Oh my, Black*Star, we'll be late for school tomorrow!"**

**Black*Star sighed and shook his head:**

**"Calm down, Tsubaki- when we walk into class, everyone will be much to stunned by my bigness to care if I'm late! And with you by me, a little shine will rub off on you!" He announced with a goofy smile- he had stood up from his chair, his hands now held on his hips.**

**Maka promptly slammed him across the head, and Soul laughed his head off at the bigoted blue head(2)'s current state. Tsubaki dragged her meister to his feet, and thanked Maka and everyone for the food and kindness.**

**"Well, me and Black*Star will be going now. We'll see you all at school!"**

**Without, she heaved herself and Black*Star out of the door at light speed. Soul and Maka exchanged exasperated glances, and Patty and Liz sweat-dropped after the two's receding forms.**

**"Well, Liz- Patty… you'll be going home too now?"**

**Maka asked expectantly- Liz and Patty looked at each other, then quickly caught the hint. Liz was first to speak:**

**"DEATH THE KID!"**

**Kid was shocked out of his thoughts (Me: Honestly Kid- guh… since I'm the author, I now declare that your candles are uniform. GEEZ!)**

Kid: Kindly take a couple of my candles and burn yourself with them.

**and immediately went into defense.**

**"What- what did I do?"**

**Patty followed her sister's lead, her face serious.**

**"How could you? Isn't Crona your friend?"**

**By this point, Kid's face began to sweat, and his wide eyes shifted for support from Maka, to Soul, and Crona, who swiftly avoided his gaze.**

**Liz spoke again, this time standing up, her back to Kid.**

**"It isn't gentlemanly…"**

**"Not gentlemanly at all!" Patty picked up, copying her sister's movements. The next time they spoke, it was in unison.**

**"You must walk Crona home!"**

**Kid sat with his mouth open for a few seconds. Well, at least the feat wasn't too great. He closed his mouth and smiled nervously at Crona.**

**"Well- I'll meet you two at home then- I suppose."**

**To his shock, Liz rapidly shook her head. Patty imitated her again, as the others watched, confused.**

**"Nope!" Patty said.**

**"WE are going to stay here with Maka and Soul. You and Crona will need to stay at the mansion. After all- leaving Crona in that dank room? No way. She'd get lonely."**

Kid: …oh no…

Crona: …why me…?

**Crona tried to protest, but Maka interrupted.**

**"Yes, yes- er… Liz, Patty, you may stay here. And Kid, take Crona over to your place, there are plenty of rooms." She smiled a little towards Kid, the smile actually masking her true emotions.**

**Things were not going as planned- Liz and Patty were to go home first, Crona and Kid would stay at Maka's house while they 'headed to the store real fast', and give Kid time to walk Crona to her house, where they were sure to bond more.**

**However, the new plan seemed almost as good. She sighed- well, if that was how this was going to work out, so be it.**

Maka: What is _wrong_ with you? If Crona had a problem with it, I wouldn't force him-…her-…_whatever_ to do it! Why would you think that I would?

**"B-but! Crona… uh…"**

**Kid was at loss for words, and ended up placing two fingers tow each side of his head, something he had grown used to.**

**"Don't worry Kid- we'll leave that to you~"**

**In a quick flash, Liz had grabbed Patty's hand, and they stalked off towards the hall storage closet for extra pajamas. Soul shot Maka a sneer, disappointed that their plans might be ruined.**

**Crona stood from the table a little uneasily on her feet, and ambled toward the front door. She held her head down, and quietly spoke, the room silent as they listened.**

**"Kido…please- take care of me.(3)"**

Crona: …Kid?

Kid: Yes?

Crona: An idea just came to me…

Kid: I have a feeling it's the same one I have now.

Crona: Together, then?

Kid: It _would_ be symmetrical.

Both: *chanting* Pie lesu domine, dona eis requiem… *heads hit trays*

**Kid nodded back at her, his cheeks a bright pink. Maka's face took on one of delight, Soul smirking at the meister's excitement, and Liz and Patty exchanging gleeful whispers in the hall.**

**Kid stood, and grabbed Crona's hand in his, as they exited the home.**

**Once they were both outside, Soul released his bated breath.**

**"Damn it! How are we supposed to-"**

**Maka cut her eyes at him before responding.**

**"We can still do SOME thing-**

Maka: I refuse to accept that that's implying something, Liz!

Liz: …I wasn't going to say anything.

Maka: *growls*

**after all, Liz and Patty aren't going to be here all night. They're going to sneak back into Kid's house later on. Besides…," She yawned before continuing. "Don't you see how late it is? We weren't expecting to keep them that long, but…"**

**She trailed off, gazing up at the ceiling. Liz and Patty had changed into some of Maka's extra pajamas, though they were well away from Maka's size, Patty especially.**

**When they entered back into the room, Soul evaded his eyes, and pinched his nostrils just in case. Maka, rather than getting annoyed just giggled.**

**"YOSH!(4)" she declared.**

Maka: _NO_.

**On the way down the street, Kid and Crona held hands, Crona's face a scarlet.**

**Kid enjoyed every last moment of it, and from time to time, gave her a light squeeze.**

**They were halfway home when a light drizzle fell from the sky. The drizzle then changed to a light rain fall, and Crona faced the moon and gasped in surprise.**

**"The moon… isn't as scary in this condition."**

**Kid followed her eyes to the moon- the sun was about to come up at any second, the moon seemed tired, a large snot bubble at one of its many craters.**

**He smiled as he watched it struggle to stay awake and removed his hand from Crona's.**

**"Yea… it looks a lot goofier."**

**He placed his hand instead on her shoulder, watching as her face grew a brighter red, her eyes wide.**

**"We should hurry- uh… its getting even later, and it'll be pouring hard soon."**

**Was all he said before replacing his hand in hers and running off toward the direction of his house.**

Liz: This completely clichéd moment has been brought to you by terrible writing. Also the letter S.

**Pretty soon they had arrived at the mansion. Crona listened as Kid explained the poor condition of the house (aka: getting to worked up about symmetry) as he fumbled with the door key.**

**Once they had entered, Crona sat confused in the main hall.**

**"Where- where do I sleep?"**

**Kid was taken by surprise at her question, then quickly recuperated.**

**"Any where you want, actually- there are plenty of rooms. There are two bath rooms, one on the left side of the hall, next to Liz and Patty's room, and one that's next to mine. Your clothes will get mildewed in you stay in them, so if you don't mind, I'll have you dressed in some of Patty's clothing, as you wash up."**

**As Kid explained this, he started shrugging off his jacket, and hung it neatly on the hook near the door. He glanced at Crona, whose face was down. She was studying her wet dress, and shuddered quite suddenly.**

**"Achoo!"**

Crona: Oh God, she can hear us talking about her! The fourth wall's been broken! All hope is lost! Abandon ship! _Abandon ship_!

Maka: Crona! Just take it easy, we're almost done!

Crona: No, I mean, abandon this pairing ship, _please_!

Maka: …oh.

**Kid's head shot up fully.**

**"You're going to catch a cold in that! Hold on, I'll run you water."**

**With that, he shot up the stairs two at a time, not waiting for Crona's response. Upstairs, Liz and Patty's bath was unwashed- there were tubes of shaving cream, pad boxes, crayons strewn messily in the insides of the cabinets.**

Patty: Oh come on! I don't keep crayons in the bathroom! The water would ruin the drawing! That's just dumb!

**Kid's left eye brow twitched as he wondered why crayons of all things would be in the bathroom. Mostly, rubber duckies and other bath toys had been rinsed off and left in the sink, tooth paste tubes lying innocently on the counter, not away in the cabinet.**

**Kid's eye brow twitched more, and he unconsciously began to scratch his head, but quickly halted once he heard another loud sneeze coming from sown stairs. Kid sighed and turned on his toes toward the opposite bathroom, where he knew things would be in better order.**

**He entered his bathroom and smiled, his own belongings hidden away safely in the mirror cabinet- the tub was clean (Liz and Patty had used it instead of their own recently, and he was the one who had cleaned after them) and the floor was sparkling.**

**After he ran the water, he went to meet Crona downstairs until the tub filled. He didn't see her in the hall, so he proceeded to the living room, where he had laid down towels on the couch. When he entered the living room and saw Crona, he covered his eyes with embarrassment.**

**"C-Crona- your…"**

**Crona looked up in confusion, and then looked down at herself. Apparently, when she had sat down, her wet dress had stayed up, and clung to her skin.**

**Now Kid had a nice view of her panties and exposed legs.**

Kid: _Why do you keep doing this to us_?

Crona: *curls up into a ball* Oh God…the images are coming back…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**They both sat there for a few seconds until Crona squeaked and hid herself with both hands.**

**"Uh- ah- well- er- Your water should be ready, I'm going to go check it now."**

**Kid rushed up the stairs again, a little nervously and made sure the water was fine. He called down to Crona that it was ready, and when she arrived, had explained she'd be taking the one close to his room while he organized the other.**

**KID POV**

Maka: Oh for…I thought we were done with that!

_**Ah- that should do it.**_

**Kid sat up from his knees and marveled at his own handiwork. He had managed to put all of the appropriate content in its place, and mopped the floor.**

**Now everything was neat and perfect, and he congratulated himself.**

**"Hmm- Crona's probably done. I think I'll take a shower."**

**Poor Kid- little did he know that things would get… ecchier.**

**Kid started in surprise. **_**Uh- why does it suddenly feel as though someone is narrating?**_

Patty: OK, _now_ the fourth wall's broken!

Crona: Run for the-wait. Why did it say it was from Kid's POV if it was still using third person?

**CRONA POV**

**Crona finished washing up and exited the bath tub. After drying, she shifted her gaze toward the pajamas resting on the counter. There was a pair of blue panties that Liz had bought as a surprise for her (A blushing Kid explained they were meant as a present for later from Liz, but that she could have it early) pink pinstriped pajama shorts a white tank top, and pink long sleeved pajama shirt.**

**The tank top and underwear had come from Liz, though pajama shirt and bottoms had come from Patty. She sighed down at her clothes and placed them on, leaving her towel neatly hung on the towel rack.**

Crona: See? It just did it again!

Liz: So, putting the POV at the top is entirely pointless.

Maka: Great, just when I thought I couldn't get any more annoyed by it…

**She walked out the door into the hallway, smack into Kid**

All: Of course!

**KID POV**

**Kid walked out of his bedroom, thinking over the day- Crona's clothes, the party- Maka's painful chop- he cringed at that part, rubbing his somewhat sore head. It was his first chop, and now he understood why Soul would get so irritated.**

Kid: No, it actually isn't…

Maka: You were asking for it.

**He chuckled fondly and made a left. He was wearing his boxers (the symmetry ones =3=)**

Liz: Oh, that's specific…

**but no shirt.**

Kid: …_are you serious_? Do I really look so stupid that I'd walk around in my underwear when I know a lady is present?

Maka: My guess is that she just wanted an excuse to have you walk around half-naked.

Liz: That sounds about right.

Kid: …I hate my fans.

Crona: Welcome to the club…

Maka: We should have T-shirts ready soon.

**He glanced at the hallway clock- well… it was one o clock in the morning, and though he didn't normally walk around indecently like this, Crona should have been off to sleep in one of the many rooms by now, so it should be fine.**

**As he came to the door to the bathroom, he let his hand rest on the knob, as pictures of Crona half naked in the tub floated through his mind.**

**He shook his head:**

_**Wh-what the hell am I thinking? Such thoughts are shameless- i-inapropriate.**_

**He sighed, satisfied- the images went away, though now suddenly, the door pulled open on its own accord.**

**Kid felt his face go red as Crona walked out and straight into his chest. He fell back at the sudden impact, and the two found themselves on the floor, Crona laid sprawled just in front of Kid's lower front area (wink wink nudge nudge),**

Kid: AGH!

Crona: *head hits tray* Make it stooooop…

**Kid sitting halfway up, his hands had accidently grabbed at Crona's hair during the fall.**

**Now, as he looked down, he saw that Patty's clothes might not have been the appropriate choice. He cursed himself for forgetting- Patty's breast size was more than her older sister's, and so the shirt was too large.**

**Also, her hips were bigger than Crona's, so the material of the pajama bottoms hung loosely from Crona's skinny frame.**

Patty: Hmm…well, I don't really know about that last part…maybe we should compare!

Crona: *heavy blush* Please, let's not…

**Kid shook that out of his mind, then looked down at Crona her self- and their position.**

**He gasped out loud and backed away until his head hit the far wall. As he scurried away, Crona sat up properly, her face red and put her hands across her chest.**

**She realized her shirt was loose and hurriedly scurried down the hall, her shorts falling as she did. She quickly pulled them up higher and scurried to the nearest vacant room.**

**Kid sat gasping for breath, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He held his hand to his chest and felt a longing down inside.**

**He shook it off and hurried after Crona- she had hurried into the nearest room- his.**

Liz: _Of course_! Because we need to just fill up every cliché in the book, don't we?

**CRONA POV**

**Crona shuddered on the bed and tried to keep her shirt from slipping. After several attempts, she finally gave up and thudded down on the pillow, stuffing her face in it as tears streamed freely.**

**She had managed to mess things up with Kid again- and this time, it was even more embarrassing.**

Maka: How in the nine circles of Hell was that more embarrassing than…what happened before?

Crona: *moans*

**She pulled the covers up to her neck and sighed.**

**After a while, she heard the shower running, but fell into a dreamless sleep not too long after. Before drifting off, she had heard Ragnarok's voice inside her, but it was only sleep talk, and that was all.**

**KID~O'S POV~ NYA! (- JUST CAUSE I WANTED TO SAY NYA!)**

All: We don't care!

**Kid stopped himself halfway and turned back to the bathroom- maybe he was only imagining which room she went in. After all, even if she HAD, she'd be able to tell it was his right?**

**As much as he believed this, he still felt a longing sensation in his heart.**

Kid: It's cancer. I'm positive it's cancer.

**He took the shower, dried himself, and retrieved a new pair of boxers from the hall closet. When he had traveled a few inches away from his door, he heard a few loud crashes.**

**His first impression was that a burglar had made his way in- which he could easily take care of. And he stood stock still, listening for more- but no, it was only the rain.**

**Lightning and thunder had joined in on the gentle crashes of the falling rain drops. He sighed with relief and entered the room, not turning on the lights as he climbed into the large bed.**

**As soon as he had lain down, he heard a soft squeak, and turned to his right. He got a shocker as Crona's large eyes watched him, still sleepy, one hand rubbing her eye.**

**He felt his face go hot, but Crona seemed to think she was still in dream land, for she didn't even protest.**

Liz: …seriously, do you have a checklist of every romance cliché there is and are just going through them?

**"C-crona! Wh-what….? You can uh- have the room down the hall, please- this is my room, you must have accidently…"**

**Kid stuttered before another loud crash echoed along the halls- this made Crona awaken fully, and she too went red and stuttered.**

**"What was that!"**

**Kid chuckled at her lightly, no longer flustered. He stood up and shut the window in the room on his own, then Crona's side.**

**He turned back to her and smiled.**

**"Its just thunder and a little lightning. We'll be fine." He responded.**

**He returned to his side of the bed, but was startled that Crona hadn't made to leave yet. He thought of rephrasing so that she'd better understand, but decided to wait until she realized she was in a boy's bed.**

**Surely, she wouldn't stay with him- but for some reason- he hoped that she would.**

**"Kid- is it alright if… can I…"**

**Kid couldn't believe what he was hearing, but responded with dignity.**

**"If you'd like to stay in here to sleep- you may. Um- if you're scared."**

Crona: I-I wouldn't be _that_ scared…

**Crona's face lit up, and she held herself tight. She smiled at Kid, and thanked him fervently before pulling the blanket to her neck again.**

**Kid smiled back, his heart pounding, though Crona who was kept off from society for so long didn't seem to mind as much. This probably seemed somewhat normal to her.**

**He sighed and lay facing the left wall, away from Crona- his cheeks went pink as image after image forced their way into his skull.**

**He cursed himself and face palmed at his own wild imagination- why had he suddenly thought all these things? Wasn't Crona only his friend? True, he liked Crona- he hoped one day they could work out a relationship, but to think such shrewd things- before they had even done anything?**

Liz: You friggin' kissed in the bathroom! I'd like to think you're a bit more than "only friends" now!

**Kid had almost had enough when he heard it- the biggest crash of all. The room flashed a bright blue for half a second, illuminating the dressers and casting shadows from the trees by the window.**

**The next thing that happened was that two cold hands wrapped around his stomach, and he cried out at the touch.**

**He shifted positions and looked down at Crona, her hands held tight around his stomach, her face pale with fright. He felt elated- to think Crona would come to him in comfort!**

Kid: *head hits tray* …almost done, right?

Maka: I think so…c'mon guys, it's just a little bit more.

Kid: "Just a little bit more" could still mean a lot of things happening…

Crona: *whimper*

**He left that aside and placed his hand gingerly on her head. He patted her hair down and soothed her until she fell back to sleep, her hands still around him.**

**Not too long afterward, he had also drifted into sleep, his chin resting soundly on the top of her head, his hands around her.**

Liz: Honestly, that would be really cute if everything before this didn't happen.

Kid: And it was two completely different people.

Liz: That too.

**A/N: So- this turned out a little – well. Lets just say- I watched some To Love ru, so that was a bit of the inspiration.**

Maka: Shouldn't _we_ be the inspiration? Since this is about _us_?

**Yeps. Sorry it took so long for me to upload, but also, this is only rated T I think? So, yea- its more of an ecchi than anything, so don't expect it to go any farther than that.**

Liz: Don't worry, we weren't.

**Also, I have written a story in which Crona is raped- yes- RAPED by Kid- so read that one please, its my first lemon.**

Kid: _WHAT_?

Crona: …Patty?

Patty: Yes?

Crona: Shoot me. Shoot me right now.

Kid: Not until I get shot first! And that only happens after we shoot _this abomination to all of mankind_!

Maka: If there's anything left of her after I'm done with her, feel free…

**This is more of a comedy it turns out.**

Patty: Then why aren't I laughing?

**Time for a few blahs!**

**I KNOW RIGHT!**

Kid & Crona: _Then why did you write it_?

**Im sorry- I just HAD to do it!**

Patty: What, you _had_ to be a total jerkwad? Well, then I guess I'll just _have_ to break every bone in your miserable body!

**You guys notice that's what people say in certain animes? "Please take care of me- Yuuki- kun!"Is what I recently heard in To love ru**

Maka: Just because it fit in that anime doesn't mean it'll fit with us!

**Its "ALRIGHT!" in Japanese, but I love how they pronounce it, its so cute! So I put it in cause that's how I like Japanese to say it, so cute! 3**

Maka: *sighs* I hate the fact that my mother's native language is abused by a bunch of idiotic American teenagers…

**Also, guys- sorry if you're irritated because I add stuff like sweat dropping, and Chan/Kun/ other anime references- its just- I don't know, that's how I like to write sometimes, after watching so many certain anime genres, I just like to add chan , etc out of a second habit**

Maka: Then kick it already. You're not Japanese, and you never will be, no matter how much you want to be.

**Maka: Ok, so now its changed from mellow dramatic to ecchi eh? Baka**

**Me:Maka! Please don't be so unfair! *pouts* You're too harsh!**

Maka: Are you kidding? I clearly haven't been harsh enough with you!

**Kid:…**

**Crona:….**

Kid: And that's the closest she's gotten so far to getting our characters right.

**Ragnarok:heheheh**

**Me/Maka: Symmetry!~Maka! ~ cHoP!**

Maka: _Crucify you on a flaming cross_!

**Soul: I guess its my turn to say it- *coughs/inhales breath***

**Black*Star: STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! IT MIGHT BE THE FINAL! NYAA~HAHAAH! Soul, did you think you'd take the shine away from me?**

**Everyone:*glares at Black*Star* WHO INVITED YOU!**

Crona: Murphy…he tends to do that…

**Hey you guys! This is a special update chapter!**

**I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm finaly back from my crazy year of absence, and I have a new account based on my love for Hetalia, my username is HetareIggysama, but I wanted to let everyone know I'm going to continue with this fanfic, and move it to my other account when I'm done! Im so ashamed of my absense, but i promise things are going to be better no! Please forgive me, and enjoy, because I'm going to post the next chapter by July 10 or 12 ok?**

Maka: Well, I guess Black*Star was right about this being the final chapter, because I don't see her updating any time soon.

Kid: And thank Father for that…

/

The lights came back on as the quintet breathed a collective sigh of exhaustion, finally glad that their endeavor was over.

Shortly after this, Kid got to his feet, hands together in front of him.

"Alright…" he began. "First off, I am not interested in Crona. At all. No interest. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. None whatsoever. I don't know why you suddenly got this idea, but there is no chemistry between us. I mean, yes, he's my friend, but that's it! What, do you assume that just because I was nice to him one time in the series that we're made for each other or something? Are you just looking for an excuse to pair two people off?"

"Ding ding ding." Maka sarcastically added.

"Second…" Kid continued. "Even if I _was_ interested in Crona, I can promise you I wouldn't act like a perverted little freak! Or if I was interested in anyone else, for that matter! I like to hold myself to a higher standard than that, thank you very much! It really amazes me that I'm supposedly so popular with you people, and yet you're perfectly willing to portray me like this! I wasn't aware that popular meant "let's make them into a pervert"!"

"I don't know how, but I bet there's worse out there…" Crona muttered.

"Third…this entire story has a very warped idea about how romance works! You're basing everything on gut feelings and instincts, which is a bad idea if you're looking for an actual relationship! What about personalities? What about general attitudes? What about positive and negative qualities? All of those factor in! And I know we're all just a bunch of hormonal teenagers to you people, but we do think about things besides sex!"

Kid sighed. "Which brings me to my fourth point: I. Cannot. Forget. About. Symmetry. I cannot. It doesn't matter who you put in front of me, or what possible justification you could think up. You expect the impossible and you will not get it. I don't obsess about symmetry because I like it, I do it because it's instinct! My brain is hard-wired to naturally just find something symmetrical or fix something that isn't. It's a mental condition _and I can't get rid of it_. Least of all by one of you waving your hands and hoping it will go away."

He crossed his arms, glaring at the screen. "In short, this author is not only an imbecile, but has officially earned my wrath. I look forward to the day when you finally keel over and die so I can personally condemn your soul to the deepest pits of Hell."

He exhaled, uncrossing his arms and letting them hang at his sides. He then turned and started heading for the stairs.

"With that, I'm going home to take a nice, long shower, followed by hiring a therapist."

Maka sighed, getting to her feet and quickly following Kid. "Wait, hang on, I need to explain something…"

The two of them ascended the stairs together, Maka explaining just why Kid couldn't have a therapist.

Patty watched the two of them for a moment, before turning to look at Crona. She tilted her head as she examined his face, his expression a strange combination of tired, embarrassed, and thoroughly disgusted.

A big smile came over her face, and she reached over and wrapped her arms around Crona's shoulders, pulling him into a hug. This caught Crona off-guard, causing him to give a small squeak of surprise.

"P-Patty?"

She quickly let go of him, big smile still on her face. She reached up and ruffled Crona's hair with one hand, giving him a thumbs-up with the other.

"You rock on with yo' bad self, Crona."

"H-Huh?"

The only response he got was a giggle. Patty then got to her feet and headed towards the stairs, humming a tune while doing so.

"Sis! You coming?" she asked as she walked past Liz's seat.

Liz got to her feet, giving a weary sigh. "Yeah…just give me a sec, OK?"

"OK!"

Patty then headed up the stairs, Liz watching her go. Already suspicious of what Liz was intending to do, Crona got to his feet as well, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

He gulped slightly when his suspicions were confirmed, and Liz slowly turned around and started walking towards him.

_Here it comes…_ Crona thought as Liz stopped in front of him. _She's going to tell me that she hates me now…_

Liz frowned, noticing the nervous look on Crona's face, and gave a small sigh.

"…look, Crona…" she started. "I was really rough on you earlier…I'm sorry…"

Crona blinked, then quickly waved a hand. "N-No, it's alright. It's not a problem-"

"No." Liz intejected. "It isn't alright."

Crona froze, surprised at the interruption.

"…I know we don't talk all that much…" Liz continued. "But we are still friends. And I shouldn't have just jumped on you like that because I was upset. It was wrong of me."

She sighed, her hands coming together in front of her. "But…you have to understand something…"

Crona blinked. "W-What?"

"For the longest time…for most of our lives, it was just me and Patty. Us against the world. We didn't know who our mom or dad was, and no one was willing to help us out. We had to fend for ourselves. But…I was the big sister. I'm supposed to look after her. That's my job."

A grim expression came over her face, surprising Crona a bit.

"No one makes her cry. Absolutely no one."

Crona's eyes widened, Liz's words sinking into his mind. After a few seconds of staring, Crona started rubbing his arm, as per his habit.

"I-It's alright, Liz…I understand. Really, I do."

Liz noticed that Crona's eyes had averted slightly, looking past her. Towards the stairs behind her.

She didn't have to look to figure out who he was looking at.

…_I guess he really does understand._ she thought. She then placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting smile.

"You're alright, Crona."

Crona flushed at the compliment, causing Liz's smile to widen a bit. She then turned to head for the stairs, but stopped when Crona cried out.

"Uh, j-just a second, Liz!"

Liz stopped, looking back. "What?"

Crona's blush quickly returned, his eyes averting downwards.

"U-Um…Patty isn't…I mean, sh-she doesn't…you know…"

Liz blinked in confusion, before it dawned on her a second later. She gave a small sigh.

"Don't worry, Crona. I'm sure Patty was just messing with you like she usually does."

"O-Oh…OK…"

Liz then leaned forward to look into Crona's eyes. Crona flinched slightly at the grin on her face.

"That said, if you hurt my baby sister's feelings, I will _fuck you up_, boy."

Crona flustered. "Y-Y-Yes ma'am…"

Liz gave a small chuckle, then turned and headed for the stairs.

Crona watched her go and join the others, already having to play referee between a now-sobbing Kid (Maka had pointed out that the door design wasn't symmetrical on the inside) and a giggling Patty. He smiled slightly, and as he started for the stairs, a thought went through his mind.

_Patty's luckier than I thought…_

/

Alright, that's finally done! Thank every deity ever conjured.

If any Kid/Crona fans were offended by what I said in this…suck it up, this fic was still utter shit and even you have to admit that. So there.

I should have a little something extra for you guys soon. We'll have to see.

'Till next time!


	16. Sick

Alright, here's another little aside chapter I cooked up some time ago. Hope you folks enjoy.

WARNING: The following contains nothing but pure fluff. If there's only so much adorable fluffiness you can take in one day, this is probably going to go way over your quota, so it'd be best to just go now.

/

When someone has known a person for a certain length of time, you tend to pick up on certain things that person does. You become familiarized with their actions and routines. You start to expect certain things to be done once you known them long enough.

Which was why, for anyone else, the fact that _Maka Albarn_ didn't go to school would just be a very large surprise.

For Crona, someone may as well have told him the world was coming to an end.

His schooldays always started the same way: he'd wake up and get himself prepared, via teeth-brushing, hair-combing, etc., before Maka would come knocking at his door. The two of them would then arrive at class approximately twenty minutes early, giving them plenty of time to sit and chat before class started. Granted, it wasn't always perfect. Sometimes she'd arrive a few minutes late, and sometimes he'd find that he'd accidentally slept in and she'd already arrived and they had to rush out. But there was always the knowledge that she'd be there.

Today was going to be decidedly different however. Crona came to that realization as he dashed out of his door, with ten minutes to go until class started and still no sign of Maka.

_OK, this is not the time to panic._ Crona told himself as he ran down the halls. _There's an explanation for this. She probably just forgot. Yeah, that's all. You'll get to class and she'll be there, and it'll all be OK._

Naturally, this didn't last long.

_What if someone killed her?_ Crona started worrying as he dashed out of the lower level of the school. _What if it was one of the witches who came after me and went after her for information but she didn't talk and so they killed her and it's all my fault because I'm the one they wanted and if I wasn't around then she would still be alive and-_

"OOF!"

"AGH!"

Crona's thoughts were interrupted when he collided with someone in the middle of his mad dash, causing him to fall to the floor beside his unfortunate victim.

"OW! Geez, why can't you watch where you're going?"

"I-I'm sorry! I was just-"

Crona stopped when he sat up and looked over to see another mass of pink hair to match his own.

"Oh, hey Crona!"

Crona looked down at the floor. "S-Sorry about that, Kim…"

Kim sighed. "It's alright. Just help me pick up my stuff, alright?"

"O-OK…"

The two of them then started gathering up the books and various other items scattered about on the floor.

"Weird how we keep running into each other like this, isn't it?" Kim remarked.

"Y-Yeah…" Crona replied.

_Really weird…_ he continued mentally. _Why does this keep happening…?_

"You alright?" Kim asked, interrupting Crona's thoughts. "You look…um…well…"

Crona frowned. "W-What…?"

"Well…I was going to say you looked like someone gave you a puppy only to shoot it right in front of you, but that's a pretty dark analogy…"

Crona gave an involuntary shudder. "Y-Yeah, a bit…"

"But you do look like something's wrong…was that why you were in such a hurry?"

"N-No, I just thought I was running late…"

Which was true, Crona was technically running later than he usually did. However, he didn't really want to tell Kim just what was on his mind. As nice as she was to him, he wasn't really sure he knew her well enough to tell her his concerns. Especially frantic wondering about whether or not the most important person in the entire universe was alive or dead, all because she didn't show up at his front door like she usually did.

"Oh!" Kim suddenly cried out, causing Crona to look back up at her. "Do you know what happened to Maka?"

"N-No, I-"

_Wait._ Crona thought, stopping mid-sentence. _…what does she mean by that? "What happened to her"? What happened?_

"W-What do you mean…?" he stuttered out. "W-W-What happened?"

"That's what I was asking you…" Kim replied. "I just thought you would've heard-"

"Heard what?" Crona interrupted, the panic now clearly evident in his voice. "Heard what? What happened? Is she OK? Where is she?"

"Whoa, whoa, just relax, Crona!" Kim answered, her hands held up in front of her. "I just meant I thought you knew why she wasn't here today!"

Kim was honestly surprised at how quickly Crona's face changed. It was impressive, in a weird way, how it suddenly changed from one of total panic and fear to one of immense, unfiltered sorrow.

"…she…she's not…here…?" Crona whispered, his voice sounding incredibly weak.

"N-No…" Kim replied, holding her books to her chest. "I just heard that she wasn't showing up today…"

"…why…?"

"I don't know…that's just what I heard…she's probably just sick or something…"

"…sick? …Maka's…sick?"

"Maybe…I'm just guessing…"

Kim slowly got to her feet, gently brushing her skirt once she stood at her full height. Crona hadn't moved at all, eyes staring straight ahead. She moved away slightly, turning to face the hall.

"Um…I'm just going to go to class now…"

Crona didn't move, or make any indication that he heard her. Despite this, Kim still turned and headed down the hall, a worried frown on her face.

…_what do I do?_ Crona wondered, still staring at the wall across from him. _Maka's sick…? She's not going to be here…what should I do?_

Someone walked past his field of vision, causing him to snap back to reality. He quickly gathered up his things and got back to his feet, turning and heading down the hall, trying desperately to calm himself down.

_It was just something Kim heard…_ he reasoned. _It doesn't mean it's true…she's probably just late…I'll get there and she'll be waiting, or she'll show up a few minutes later…_

As Crona headed towards the classroom, he stopped when he saw Kim further ahead, this time with Ox. He watched the two of them for a few minutes, Ox fretting over something and Kim looking annoyed. He was too far away to hear their conversation, but he imagined it was because of their earlier collision, which made him feel a bit guilty.

His eyes widened slightly when the two turned to enter the classroom. Their hands slowly came together beside them, their fingers interlocking with one another.

Without even really realizing it, Crona's eyes moved down towards his own hands. That one simple image of their hands entwining with one another was now the only thing on his mind.

He and Maka had held hands before. He understood that it raised some questions about the two of them among other people, but she didn't seem to care. And it felt wonderful when she did. But the intent behind it was different. It was usually to comfort one of them, or to pull him along with whatever she wanted to do.

And they had never held hands like Kim and Ox just did. It was always just grasping the actual hands, almost like a handshake. It was never with the fingers locking together like that. He wondered what it would be like if they did…if they would fit together as well as he hoped they would…

He pulled his books closer to his chest, his face blushing furiously. He lowered his head and started walking towards the classroom, coming to a realization.

_Today is going to be a long day…_

/

As the minutes ticked away at an agonizingly slow pace, Crona came to realize that there was no way he could make it through the day.

Professor Stein was at the front, droning on and on about the biology of the standard pet dog (thankfully without a specimen to dissect, for once), but despite Crona's best efforts to pay attention, it just sounded like needless noise to him.

There was no way he could concentrate today. Not with the empty seat beside him that was supposed to have Maka in it, waiting for him with an explanation as to where she was. Waiting to let him know that everything was OK and that he worried for nothing.

Instead, all he got was a story from Soul, once he couldn't stop going over in his head.

"_She wouldn't tell me what was wrong. She wouldn't even come out of her room. She just told me she wasn't going today and that I might as well go without her. Believe me, man, I tried to get an explanation out of her, but she just kept telling me to go, and that I wasn't going to talk her out of it. Well, that, and she threatened to throw an entire library's worth of Maka Chops at me if I didn't…"_

Crona sighed, trying once again to get himself to calm down, and started going over the situation in his head.

_Alright…she's not dead. I know that much. But…something is seriously wrong. She wouldn't tell Soul about it, and she wouldn't come to school. What could be so bad that she wouldn't go to school? She wouldn't even leave her room…it must be really terrible…_

He heard a small tapping noise and looked up, turning his head towards the source. On the other side of Maka's empty seat was Soul, tapping his pencil to get Crona's attention. He was holding up one side of his notebook, and Crona noticed some writing on it.

_You alright?_

Crona blinked at the somewhat odd form of communication. Realizing that there really was no other way to talk, (besides one of them moving to Maka's seat, but that felt wrong, somehow) Crona took a second and wrote something in his notebook, before showing the page to Soul.

_No._

Soul frowned, then picked up his eraser and rubbed out his first sentence. He took a moment and wrote again.

_Thinking about her?_

Crona stared at Soul for a moment, before erasing his earlier sentence and writing a response.

_Of course I am. Aren't you?_

Soul rolled his eyes, erasing his writing and replacing it with a longer sentence.

_I doubt I'm thinking about her the same way you are._

Crona flushed brightly, quickly erasing his sentence and writing a response.

_That's not funny._

Soul grinned, erasing his sentence and rewriting, showing it to Crona with a comforting smile now on his face.

_I'm sure she's fine._

Crona sighed, writing his new, short sentence.

_I'm not._

Soul sighed as well, writing another sentence while clearly showing the annoyance on his face.

_You worry too much, you know that?_

Crona looked away, choosing not to respond.

Despite the "talk" with Soul, his mind wasn't any more at ease. Worse, he still wasn't entire sure just what to do. Or if there was even anything he _could_ do. Knowing so little about what the situation was was the main obstacle, and before he could even think about helping her, he had to think of a way around that obstacle.

…_there is one thing I could do._ he thought. _But I would get in so much trouble if I was caught…not to mention I could make people distrust me again…_

Even with that concern, the thought that Maka was all by herself in her room, upset or sick or scared…

_What's more important to me?_ he wondered. _The rules, or Maka?_

He shouldn't have even needed to ask.

He quietly closed his notebook, slowly got out of his chair, and raised his hand, his entire arm shaking all the while.

"U-Um…P-Professor S-Stein? S-Sir?"

Stein stopped writing on the chalkboard and turned to look at Crona, his eyebrow raised.

"Yes, Crona?"

Crona's entire body started to shake, hoping that he hadn't interrupted Stein while he was talking, especially for what he was about to ask.

"B-B-B-B-B…bathroom…"

Stein stared at the quivering Crona for a moment, before sighing and turning back to the board.

"Alright, go on."

Crona very quickly turned and walked past Soul, ignoring his inquisitive stare, and headed down the steps to the front and out the door.

Once outside of the classroom, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then turned and started heading down the hall, his destination clear in his mind.

Thankfully, there wasn't anyone wandering the halls to ask him any questions. He imagined he would've probably cracked under the pressure if anyone showed up to ask why he was wandering the halls when he was supposed to be in class. He definitely couldn't deal with being caught.

What he didn't expect to happen right then was the always-familiar _splortch_ to ring out as Ragnarok uncurled from his back, perching on his head.

"Hey." he grumbled. "Where are you going? The bathrooms are the other way."

Crona looked up at Ragnarok and put a finger to his lips, quickly shushing him.

"I know."

Ragnarok tilted his head in confusion, but didn't respond as Crona soon started running down the hallway.

He stopped once he reached the entrance to the academy. After quickly looking around to make sure no one saw him, he dashed out the archway, and before he even really knew what he was doing, he was heading down the long, long staircase.

_Don't trip don't trip don't trip don't trip don't trip_ he kept ordering himself. Luckily, he managed to make it down the stairs without tripping over his robe, despite moving as fast as he could.

Once he reached the bottom, he quickly dashed behind a nearby building. After taking a few seconds to catch his breath, he slowly peeked out from behind it, looking back up at the academy.

He saw that no one had followed him and breathed a long sigh of relief. _Well, the worst of it's over…_

He leaned back against the wall, slowly calming himself down. He then looked up to see Ragnarok staring down at him, arms crossed.

"…w-what?"

"You're skipping class."

Crona flinched, quickly looking away from Ragnarok. He started rubbing his arm as usual, realizing that Ragnarok was probably going to ruin all he had planned out.

"Y-Yes…I guess I am…"

He was very surprised to hear a loud victorious cry come from Ragnarok right then.

"I can't believe it! You're actually breaking the rules! I didn't think you had it in you!"

Crona looked back up at him, clearly surprised.

"You…you're happy?"

"Of course I am! Fuck the establishment, we're fucking rebels!"

He then smacked the side of Crona's head, almost like he was hitting a horse with a riding crop. "Now get a move on! We're burnin' daylight already, and we've got a lot of accomplishing nothing of worth to do!"

Crona sighed, walking out from behind the building and down the street, while Ragnarok started going on and on about all the things they should be doing.

It was strange for Crona to have Ragnarok actually happy with him, for once. Most of the time he would just tell him what he should be doing instead of what he was doing, and call him out on being cowardly for not doing it. When he wasn't pestering him for a snack or whatever. Yet him actually being pleased with something he did that didn't directly benefit him was…odd.

Which only made it worse when Crona realized that it wasn't going to last for very long.

"And then we'll go knock over some trash cans, because _fuck trash cans_, and then maybe we can go hijack a car, like that one time in Siberia, and then we'll steal some cake from the bakery, because you still fucking owe me some, and then we'll sneak over to Kid's place and raid Patty's underwear drawer, and then-"

He stopped mid-sentence, looking around the surrounding area while Crona continued to walk down the street, eyes on the pavement.

"…wait a minute." Ragnarok muttered. "I know this place…what are we doing-"

He looked ahead and saw Crona's destination: Maka's apartment.

"…oh you have got to be _fucking kidding me_!" he shouted, glaring down at Crona. "You mean to tell me the only reason you're skiving off class is to go visit _her_?"

Crona didn't look up at him, eyes focused straight ahead.

"I…you just…you're so fucking…you…how can you…"

Ragnarok, unable to properly voice his thoughts on the matter, gave a loud growl of frustration before diving back into Crona's body.

Crona stopped walking, looking over his shoulder at where Ragnarok was. _…that's weird…he'd usually have more to say…_

Then again, Ragnarok had been acting exceptionally different lately. He had been appearing less and less, now only showing up when Crona was alone. And even then, it was only to bug him to get him food, refusing to talk to him any more than that. Granted, there had been a number of times Crona just wished Ragnarok would leave him alone, but now that he actually was…something felt wrong about it.

He turned his head to look at a nearby window in a building, seeing his own reflection in it. He looked at his messy, uneven pink hair, his pale skin, and the bags under his eyes. He then looked at the expression that appeared to be frozen onto his face.

…_have I always looked this…annoyed?_ he wondered.

Ragnarok wasn't the only one who had been acting a bit differently. He wasn't sure why, but Crona had found that he'd been a bit more…agitated lately. Much quicker to anger than he used to be. Much more aggressive. And he wasn't sure he liked it.

Back in the old days, before he met Maka for the first time, he had always viewed killing as a necessity. Something he had to do in order to survive, or to make Medusa happy. He had never really enjoyed it, outside of when he was driven by the Madness. But lately…lately he felt almost eager at the idea of killing. At finally having the chance to vent his frustrations on something. It was very tempting to think about it, to imagine putting the skills he'd learned since birth towards something he actually wanted.

He sighed, placing a hand over his face. _It's just stress…it's just the stress of the theater getting to me. That's all._

He then gave a slight moan, turning around and leaning on the wall. _Who am I kidding? It got to me a long time ago._

Everything that he'd seen up to this point…all the things he'd been forced to watch happen to his friends…what he wouldn't give to find the ones responsible. To make them suffer for hurting them, or making them look stupid, or look bad…

He shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts from his mind. _Don't focus on that. This isn't the time. Worry about it later._

He got off of the wall and resumed walking, heading down the street towards Maka's apartment.

_Focus on her. She comes first. She always comes first._

/

It sounded like such a simple plan in his head. Go to Maka, find out what was wrong, and help her with it.

Now that he was standing in front of the door to her apartment, suddenly it didn't seem so simple.

The first problem was that Maka had been very clear that she had wanted to be left alone. He didn't want to invade her privacy like that. He absolutely hated it when people did that to him. Doing that to her could seriously hurt the trust they had between them, and that was definitely the last thing he wanted to do.

The second problem was whatever was wrong with her. There were a million different things that could prevent her from going to school, none of them pleasant. Maybe she really was sick. Really, terminally ill. Maybe she got hurt and couldn't leave her room. Maybe something happened that really upset her and she didn't want to leave. Maybe it was some_one_ who upset her.

…_maybe…it was me?_ Crona thought.

He couldn't think of anything he'd done lately that could've upset Maka. Maybe he was supposed to do something, but forgot to. Which only opened up another can of worms, in that he couldn't begin to think of what he could've forgot to do.

…_this was a bad idea…_ he thought. _I should just go…if I hurry, maybe I can make it look like I was just lost or something…_

He started to move away from the door, but quickly stopped, shaking his head out of frustration.

_What is wrong with me? If there's something wrong with her, I need to find out what it is! I've come this far, I can't go back now!_

He took a deep breath, then gently placed his hand on the doorknob. He pressed his ear against the door, giving it a gentle knock with his other hand.

"M-Maka? A-Are you there…?"

He waited a few seconds. No answer.

He cautiously turned the doorknob, and was surprised to find that the door was unlocked. He carefully pushed the door open and entered the room, already wary of what he would see.

The main room looked untouched, as clean and intact as it always was. Crona breathed a small sigh of relief.

_At least I can rule out the possibility of a break-in…_ he thought, looking around the area.

His eyes fell on Maka's room, noticing that the door was closed. Evidentially, she hadn't left it. He slowly walked over to it, coming to a stop just in front of it.

He carefully raised a hand and gently knocked on the door, almost expecting to accidentally push it open.

"M-Maka? Are you awake…?"

He quietly waited for a response. After about ten seconds, he heard a voice.

"Crona…? Is that you…?"

_Oh thank God, she is alive._ Crona thought.

"Y-Yes…y-you didn't come to school today, so I thought that something was wrong…maybe…"

He really hated how stupid that sounded aloud.

He heard her give a sigh from behind the door, before she spoke again.

"The door's open…you can come in…"

Without really thinking about the implications, he almost eagerly turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

As he stepped into the room, he took a good look around. The pink-and-white wallpaper was the first to catch his eye, as he didn't really expect pink to be one of Maka's favourite colours. (Luckily, he didn't think about that too much.) He scanned the area, noticing Maka's desk that was, naturally, covered with various books. He noticed the full-body mirror in the corner, as well as the open closet beside it, and he could see her trademark long black coat, her tan sweater-vest that went underneath it, and her white Spartoi uniform.

Of course, it was right around then that it really started to sink in.

…_I'm in Maka's room. I'm actually in Maka's room!_ Crona frantically thought, his face feeling incredibly hot. _I shouldn't be here! This is private! I shouldn't be looking at this! But…she said it was OK, so maybe it-_

His frantic fretting came to a stop when his eyes fell on Maka's bed. In particular, the large lump that could be seen under the covers.

The lump that was clearly breathing.

"…Maka?" Crona cautiously asked.

"Yeah…" the lump responded.

Crona blinked in surprise, kneeling down beside the bed without even realizing it.

"W-Why are you hiding…?"

"Because."

Crona frowned at the shortness in her voice.

"W-What's wrong? Is everything alright…?"

Maka sighed. "Nothing's wrong, Crona. I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

…_something's not right here._ Crona thought.

"B-But if nothing's wrong, why are you under the covers…?"

"I told you. Because."

"…there has to be a reason."

"There is. I just told you it."

"…Maka, what is it? Are you sick? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm neither of those. I'm _fine_."

"But why are you hiding?"

"_Because_."

"…Maka, please, can't you come out from there?"

"No."

"But there's nothing to hide from…"

"I don't want to come out."

"Maka, why-"

"Because I don't want you to see me, alright?"

Crona felt as though he'd just been kicked in the face with a steel-toed boot. Maka's words could not have been more clear.

…_she doesn't…want me to see her…_

Underneath the covers, Maka frowned, not liking how quiet the room suddenly got.

Crona slowly got to his feet, looking down at the floor. He was exerting every bit of energy to not start crying.

"I…I'm sorry…"

Maka froze. _What is he…?_

"For whatever I did…to make you mad at me…" he finished, as he turned to head out the door.

_Oh, you insufferable IDIOT!_ Maka screamed at herself. _Why did you have to go and word it like that?_

Her hand suddenly shot out from under the covers, waving around beside the bed, trying to either grab Crona or get his attention.

"W-Wait a second, Crona!" she cried out. "That wasn't what I meant! I swear, it's not your fault!"

Crona turned back to look at Maka's arm, waving about while the rest of her remained under the covers. He would've found it funny if he wasn't feeling so miserable.

"Look…" Maka continued, her hand still hovering in the air. "I meant to say that I don't want _anyone_ to look at me right now. That wasn't directed at you, I swear it wasn't."

Crona frowned, still confused as to just what was going on. He noticed that Maka's hand was now grasping at the air, almost hoping to grab something. He slowly walked towards in and reached down, grasping it with his own hand.

He heard Maka sigh and knelt back down, taking her hand in both of his own.

"I'm sorry, Crona…" she said, gently squeezing his hand. "I should've worded that better…"

"I-It's OK…really." Crona replied, slowly rubbing her hand with both of his. "But…why don't you want anyone to see you?"

"…I just don't."

Crona frowned. _There has to be some reason…_

"I-Is it one of those things you get on your face?"

"Huh?"

"You know…one of those weird red bumps people sometimes get on their faces…"

There was silence for a few moments, neither of them moving. Soon, Maka slipped her hand out of Crona's and let it rest beside her on the bed. She started tapping a finger on the mattress.

"Crona Makenshi…do you really think I'd skip school just because of a _pimple_?" she responded incredulously.

Crona flinched. "W-Well, no…I-I just…couldn't think of anything else…"

Maka sighed. "Why is it such a big deal that I miss a day of school, anyway? Aren't I allowed a sick day?"

"O-Of course…it's just…you never miss school, Maka."

"So?"

"No, I mean, you don't ever miss school. Not once since I've known you…"

He carefully moved closer to the head of the bed, so that he was closer to Maka's face.

"D-Do you remember that one time?" Crona continued. "Where you came to school even though you said you were really tired…?"

"Yeah, I do…"

"Y-You kept falling asleep in class…you tried to pay attention to what was going on, but you were just too tired…"

"Yeah, I know…" Maka replied. "I also remember you letting me copy off your notes at the end of the day…"

Crona blushed, looking down. "I-I knew it was important to you…you wouldn't want to miss anything…"

Maka sighed, before clenching the mattress a bit. "OK, fine, so I don't ever miss a day of school. So what? There's a first time for everything, isn't there? Even the "great Maka Albarn" can do something a little different, right? I'm allowed that much, aren't I?"

Crona blinked in surprise, not expecting the minor outburst. _"Great Maka Albarn"?_

"…sorry." Maka added, giving another sigh. "It's just…it's tiring, that's all."

"What is…?"

"Being me. Trying to fulfill everyone's expectations of me, I mean. People think that I'm just this super-smart girl through virtue of just being me. It's not that easy. I've had to do a lot of studying and hard work to get to this point, and I'll have to do more to get better. I have to go over my notes just to stay on top as it is. I…I don't hate being like this or anything, but…I just need a break sometimes, you know…?"

Crona stared at the covered Maka, wishing beyond all else that he could understand what she meant. But, he didn't have to meet people's expectations. If anything, he had to directly defy them, as he doubted anyone really expected anything good from him. To have to actually meet what people thought you should be…to struggle to keep up with their constantly changing thoughts…

He wanted to offer some words of comfort. Instead, all he could do was reach up and gently grasp her hand again.

"…sorry." Maka muttered. "I don't even know where that came from…"

"I-It's alright…" Crona replied. "I…I mean, if something's bothering you…I-I want to know…"

He felt her squeeze his hand, and realized that that was the right thing to say.

"…anyway." Maka continued. "That's not why I'm skipping class or anything…if I did just want to take a day off, I would've told you…"

Crona frowned. "T-Then what is it…?"

Maka gave another sigh. She let go of his hand, then started edging a bit closer to him. He moved his hand off of the mattress, letting her get as close as possible without falling off.

She lifted the covers slightly, allowing her face to peek out from under at him.

Crona tilted his head, staring at her.

"…you look fine to me…"

Maka sighed, a small smile coming over her face.

"The problem isn't with my face…and for the record, you don't have to sugarcoat it. I know I look like a mess. My hair isn't brushed, I'm not wearing any make-up-"

Crona blinked. "You wear make-up?"

"Y-Yeah…a little…why?"

"I just thought you always looked like that…"

Crona wasn't entirely sure why Maka suddenly started blushing, and wondered if he'd said the wrong thing.

"A-Anyway…" Maka replied, face now serious. "Promise me you won't laugh."

_Laugh?_ Crona wondered.

"I won't…I couldn't laugh at you, Maka…"

…_how is it he can just say things like that?_ Maka wondered, blush returning to her face. She slowly got up to a kneeling position, keeping the covers firmly wrapped around her, the only visible part being her face.

Crona stared at Maka, patiently waiting for whatever was about to happen. A small part of him almost didn't want her to take the covers off. She looked sort of cute wrapped up like she was, almost like a caterpillar. Crona tried as hard as possible to ignore that part of him, as he didn't want her to see him blushing again.

Soon enough, Maka slowly pulled the covers off of her.

Crona's eyes immediately shot to the top of her head, the problem now very, very clear.

Sticking out of her skull were two pointed ears, which both gave a couple of twitches now that they were free from the blanket. There was also something on them. Crona wasn't sure if it was fur or hair, but whatever it was it was the same colour as Maka's hair. She was looking away from him, an embarrassed frown on her face.

"Well?" she grumbled. "Look stupid, don't they?"

To say stupid was the last thing Crona would use to describe them would be like saying the Grand Canyon was a bit long. His eyes were glued to the two ears, almost transfixed by their mere presence. They looked a lot like those fake cat ears he'd seen girls wear for costumes, except they kept flicking about, indicating that they were in fact real. That, combined with the pouty expression on Maka's face, made for undoubtedly the most adorable thing Crona had ever seen.

And God help him, he just couldn't look away.

"Crona?" Maka asked, frowning at his glazed-over expression. She leaned closer to him, trying to get a reaction from him.

"Hello? Are you in there? Crona, come on, say something."

At her command, Crona wound up saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Cute."

Maka's face immediately flushed, looking very surprised at Crona's response.

…_what did he just call me?_ she thought.

Of course, noticing Maka's expression helped bring Crona back to reality, meaning he quickly realized what he just said. His hands suddenly clapped over his mouth, his face redder than Maka's.

_Oh God oh God I didn't just say that I did not just say that WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT?_

"…cute…?" Maka remarked. Crona's hands quickly moved to cover his face, turning away from her.

"I-I'm sorry! I-It just slipped out! I-I didn't…I mean, I wasn't…"

Maka decided that a change of subject would be the best option now, or they'd probably be stuck where they were all day.

"A-Anyway…" she cautiously said. "You're probably wondering how this happened…"

"Y-Yeah…" Crona replied, turning to look back at her, face still bright red.

"Well…you can thank my cat for that one."

Crona blinked. "Blair did this…?"

"Who else could?"

Crona frowned, starting to get more than a bit annoyed. He still hadn't quite forgiven Blair for her last fiasco, and now she had done this…

"We got into an argument last night, you see…" Maka continued, now having dropped the covers completely. "She wanted to bring some of her work friends over here for a party. Of course, there was no way in Hell I was going to let that happen. You know, what with where she works and all…"

"Yeah…" Crona replied, not wanting to think about Blair's workplace.

"I told her that I was not going to have her bringing a bunch of drunken slobbering men around here for her and her girlfriends to fool around with. We wound up going back and forth for a while, since she thinks I "don't know how to have fun", or whatever. After a while, she gets fed up and zaps me, putting these things on my head."

Maka sighed, getting off of the bed and standing beside Crona. "I swear, she is so petty! She knew I wouldn't be able to go outside like this, but just because I won't let her do what she always freaking does in the sanctity of my own home, she thinks she has the right to make my life difficult…"

Now, it should be noted that, despite his timid and quiet nature, Crona is still a teenage boy. A teenage boy with a helplessly obvious crush on a teenage girl. And while he is by no means perverted in any sense of the term, said crush means that he does have a tendency to stare at Maka just a bit.

It didn't help that Maka was wearing a pink tank top and a pair of rather tight shorts as pajamas.

So, one could understand and possibly forgive Crona for allowing his eyes to…well, wander a little. Hormones have a tendency to make people do things even without them really meaning to, after all.

However, it was because of said wandering eyes that Crona happened to notice something else rather unusual about Maka today. Said unusual thing was what caused Crona's jaw to drop slightly, and his eyes to widen in surprise.

"I mean, really, does she even realize how easy she has it?" Maka continued, not having noticed Crona's attention turning elsewhere. "She doesn't even have to have that job, she just does it because she's bored! Soul and I provide most of the income thanks to our work for Lord Death, and we wind up buying most of the food and stuff anyway! She could coast along on our income if she wanted, but instead she has to go and-"

"T-T-T-T-T…"

Maka blinked, turning to look at Crona, who was still kneeling on the floor.

"What? What is it?"

"T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T…"

"…what? C'mon Crona, spit it out."

"T-T-T…_Tail_."

Maka froze, staring at Crona, who was now pointing at something around her lower back.

"…no."

Crona nodded, jaw still hanging open.

"…I do not have a tail."

Crona nodded again, jabbing the finger forward a little.

Maka turned to look over her shoulder, but couldn't quite see what he was pointing at. She slowly reached back and started grasping around the general area.

"…I don't feel anything."

"I-It moved…"

Maka kept reaching for the offending appendage, yet every time she came close to touching it, it somehow moved out of the way, almost as though it had a mind of its own. With each desperate grab, she turned her entire body towards it, starting to spin in a little circle.

"How can it…how is it moving like this? Why can't I just grab a hold of it? This is ridiculous, if it's there, why can't I see it?"

She started spinning in the other direction, still trying to grab it but somehow failing to. All while Crona watched, utterly lost as to just why Maka was suddenly acting so odd.

It then dawned on him, his face starting to flush at the implications.

…_oh my God…she's chasing her own tail…_

He had to think of something fast, or he'd wind up saying something crazy again.

"M-M-M-M-M…"

Maka stopped, looking at Crona. He was now standing on his feet, pointing at the corner of her room.

"M-M…mirror."

Maka looked at the mirror in her room, mentally smacking herself for not thinking of it sooner. She walked over to it, promptly turning around so her back was facing it and looking over her shoulder.

Sure enough, there was a tail sticking out of her lower back, poking out of the spot where her tank top met her shorts. A short, albeit fluffy tail that swished back and forth even while she wasn't trying to grab it.

"…so…" Maka started, looking back at Crona. "I'm…a doggirl?"

Crona couldn't even begin to think of a way to respond to that, so he simply stared at her. Maka turned around to look back at the mirror, tugging at her ears a bit.

"But…that doesn't make any sense! Why would a _cat_ turn me into a _dog_girl? What, did she want me to chase her around or something? If this is her idea of revenge, I don't see-"

_Wait._ Maka thought, suddenly realizing something. _Doggirl…girl dog…female dog…_

Crona was surprised at how quickly a scowl came over Maka's face, her teeth grit in anger.

"Oh, _very_ clever, Blair! Yeah, I see what you did there! _Well it takes one to know one_!"

With that, Maka turned and stormed out of the room, leaving a very confused Crona behind. He took one last, almost regretful, look around the room, before quietly following Maka out the door into the living room.

He saw that Maka had since sat on the couch, fuming about her current predicament. It was an odd visual, to see Maka sitting down, leaning forward while her arms were crossed, her ears flattened across her head. He tried not to focus too much on how strange the situation was, and instead walked over and sat beside her, trying to think of some way to help her feel better.

After a few seconds of thinking, he heard Maka sigh and sit up, reaching up and giving her ears a slight tug.

"Well…things are starting to make a little more sense now…"

Crona tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't the only thing that's different about me…"

Maka sighed, lowering her hands to the sides of her head and brushing her hair back. Crona leaned forward slightly, and his eyes widened when he noticed a slightly disturbing visual.

The area where her normal ears should've been was surprisingly empty, only two spots of skin being visible, as though the ears were never there to begin with.

"…what in the world…?" Crona muttered.

"Yep." Maka replied, letting her hair fall back into place. "These are my real ears now. And they're really sensitive ears too. Like, I could actually hear you coming down the street, just because my bedroom window was open."

Before Crona could even begin to marvel at this unique ability, he noticed the frown on Maka's face.

"Incidentally…" she continued. "You didn't have to skip class just to come see me…"

Crona flushed, quickly looking away. "W-Well…I-I was just worried…I thought something was wrong, so…"

Maka sighed, then moved closer to Crona, giving her the chance to reach over and hug him, pulling him close while resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know…and that is really sweet of you, Crona…thank you…"

Crona's face remained red, yet he still leaned into the hug. "I-It's alright…"

Maka smiled, gently rubbing his arm while still holding him.

"And I'm sorry if I was acting a bit mean earlier…" she continued. "I didn't really get any sleep last night, so I'm a bit cranky…"

Crona blinked, turning to look at her. "You didn't sleep?"

"No…I had to get used to all these changes, and that isn't easy. It's not just my ears that are better, for one thing…"

"What do you mean…?"

"Well…I can smell better."

Crona tilted his head in confusion, but quickly froze in place once Maka actually started _sniffing_ around him.

"For example, I can smell those chicken strips you had for dinner last night…" Maka explained, before giving another sniff, a frown coming over her face. "…and nothing else…"

She looked up at him, giving him a slightly inquisitive frown.

"…did you skip breakfast?"

Crona flushed, looking away again. "W-Well…I-I was just in such a hurry…"

Maka sighed, feeling slightly guilty that she had disrupted his morning routine a bit. She gave him a small squeeze before letting go, sitting in her original position.

"Not only that…but I've had the strangest craving for meat." Maka continued. "Like, I want a steak right now. A big, juicy, T-bone steak! And I've never even had steak before, but I really want it! As rare as humanly possible without it being raw meat!"

She gave an annoyed growl before continuing further. "And to make matters worse…I've had this wicked itch all day that I just can't reach!"

She reached up and started scratching around her right ear. "I have no idea why it's even there, but no matter what I do, or how hard I try, I can't get at it! It's just there constantly driving me crazy-"

"M-M-Maka?"

Maka stopped mid-scratch, looking at Crona. "Eh?"

He was pointing at her, his expression one of both embarrassment and surprise.

"L-L-L-L-L…_Leg_."

Maka looked beside her and noticed just what Crona was referring to. Without even realizing it, instead of reaching up with her hand to scratch at the infernal itch, she had instinctively used her leg, and was scratching at her ear with her bare foot.

The room grew incredibly quiet for a few moments. Maka's head had lowered, making it impossible for Crona to see her face. Not speaking a word, she slowly used her hands to move her foot back to the floor, returning to a normal seated position.

After a few more moments of dreadful silence, Maka spoke.

"Say, Crona…what do you think of tennis?"

Crona blinked, more than slightly confused.

"W-What do you mean…?"

"Well…I was just thinking, since I'm not that good at basketball, I could try something else and see if I'm any good at it. I just figured tennis would be a good choice."

"Oh…OK…" Crona replied, still not really sure where Maka was going with this.

"Yeah…the thing is, buying the equipment is just so…expensive, you know? So I figured, maybe I could do it myself…"

"Huh?"

"You know…" Maka continued, her voice now suddenly become a lot more hateful. "With just some wood and some good old-fashioned _catgut_…"

_Oh. Now it makes sense…_ Crona thought, quickly deciding to change the subject.

"U-Um…i-if that itch is really bothering you…I-I could get it for you…"

Maka blinked, turning to look at Crona, who was blushing bright red.

"I-I mean…" he continued. "I-If you're O-OK with it…"

Maka stared at Crona for a few seconds, before giving him a gentle smile.

"I would really appreciate that, Crona. Thank you."

Crona gave a small nod of understanding. He cautiously moved closer to Maka, then slowly reached up. Trying to not focus on the fact that he was about to touch Maka's head, and by extension, her hair, he started scratching around one area.

"H-Here?"

"No, little higher."

Crona moved his hand, then scratched again.

"Here?"

"No, that's too high. It's not on the ear, it's around the base."

"O-Oh." He moved again, then scratched. "Here?"

"Not quite, just a little to the left, and-Ohhhhhhhh, there we go…."

Maka gave a pleased sigh as Crona started gently scratching around the troublesome area. Crona couldn't help but smile at how happy Maka looked, her eyes closed and a wide smile on her face.

"That is so much better…"

Crona could swear he saw her tail wagging out of the corner of his eye, but tried not to think about it too much. He instead focused on dealing with Maka's itch, gently scratching the bothersome area. Sometimes he'd move back and forth, while other times he'd move in small circles. It didn't seem to matter too much to Maka, as the end result was the same: happy sighs and pleased coos of approval.

_This isn't so bad…_ he thought. _This is actually pretty nice…_

/

_Man, I can be thick sometimes._ Soul thought as he marched down the hall towards his apartment. _Of course he'd go see if she was OK. He's like a lost little puppy without her, so why would he worry more about class?_

He stopped in front of the closed door, sighing as he moved to open it. _Well, he's probably already coaxed her out of her room, so I can at least figure out what the hell is going on…_

Just as he was about to grasp the doorknob, he heard a very strange and unexpected sound.

Maka giving a _very_ pleased moan.

…_what the hell?_ Soul thought. Without even thinking about why, he gently pressed his ear against the door, listening carefully to the sounds coming from inside.

"Wow…you are so good at this, Crona…"

"I-I am?"

"Yeah…I could swear you'd done something like this before…"

"H-How? Wh-Who could I have done it with…?"

"Good point…oh geez, this feels sooooooo good…"

A very large blush came over Soul's face, as he started to jump to a conclusion he wasn't all too happy with.

…_no way. They're aren't…she isn't…he isn't…_

Soul covered his mouth as he heard another moan come from Maka, trying to not cry out in surprise. _They really are! They're…oh God!_

"God, you have no idea how much I needed this, Crona…I honestly couldn't sleep last night because this was driving me so crazy…"

"Y-You really couldn't take care of it yourself…?"

"No, not that I didn't try…but for whatever reason, it just didn't work…"

_By herself?_ Soul thought, blood starting to leak out from his nose. _She…she…by HERSELF?_

"Ow!"

"Oh, s-sorry!"

"It's OK…just go a little slower, alright? I'm still getting used to this…"

"R-Right…"

_Getting used to it? Getting used to what?_ Soul frantically thought, trying to stop the blood flowing from his nose. _Getting used…to HIM?_

"There we go…oh yes, that's much better…"

"…d-do you like this better…?"

"Oooooooh…"

"W-What about this…?"

"Ohohohoh…"

_Holy Hell, what are you doing to her, Crona?_ Soul wondered, wiping at his nose.

"Uh, M-Maka? Y-Your leg is…"

"Oh, geez, sorry about that. Hang on…maybe if I…"

"L-Let me just…if I move over here…"

"No, this position's just too awkward…here, you try it from behind me."

"A-Alright…"

_FROM BEHIND?_ Soul thought, both hands covering his mouth and nose. _Jesus Christ, Maka!_

He backed away from the door while Maka resumed giving pleasured moans. He quickly wiped away at his nose again, then stood straight.

_Alright…no two ways about it. I'm going in._

_Waaaaaaait a minute, Soul._ he ordered himself. _How many times have you seen this scenario on TV? Some guy overhears two people making weird noises, bursts into the room, assuming they're having sex, and it turns out they were doing something completely different. It happens all the time._

He took a deep breath, giving his nose another quick wipe. _Just be calm. Be cool. Do this right._

He slowly walked up to the door, then reached up and knocked, ear pressed against the door again.

He heard Maka give a surprised squeak, panic clear in her voice.

"Oh crap oh crap oh crap!"

"I-It's OK, Maka! …m-maybe they'll just go away if we don't answer…"

_Yeah, nice try, Crona._ Soul thought.

"Maka? You awake?" he called out.

He carefully listened as Maka's panic only got worse.

"Oh shit, _it's Soul_! I can't let him see me like this!"

"H-Hang on…here, hide here! Quick!"

He heard some loud rustling as well as more panicked whispers coming from Maka. Soon enough, it quieted down, and Soul heard footsteps coming towards the door. He backed away from it as it opened, Crona sticking his head out.

"O-Oh, h-hi Soul…"

_Hello to you too, you cheeky bastard who's plowing my meister._ Soul thought, a smirk coming over his face.

"Hey, Crona. Everything alright?"

"Y-Yeah, everything's fine…"

"How's Maka?"

"Sh-She's OK…"

"Oh? Nothing's wrong with her?"

"N-No, no…"

"Really? Then why'd she stay home today?"

"Oh, y-you know…just…felt like it…"

_You really need to work on your lies, pal._ Soul thought, taking a careful step forward.

"Oh, well, if everything's OK, I'll just come in and see her…"

Crona quickly exited the room, shutting the door behind him and blocking Soul's way.

"Y-You can't!"

Soul frowned. "…and why not?"

"W-Well…y-you just can't…"

"…I think you should move, Crona."

Soul tried to get past Crona, but with every step he made, Crona moved in front of him. After a few seconds of the two of them stepping from side-to-side, neither of them getting out of the other's way, Soul glared up at Crona.

"Crona, why are you trying to stop me from going into my own apartment?"

Crona flushed, looking away. "W-Well…i-it's just…"

He quickly shook his head, looking back at Soul.

"Y-You have to go back to class!"

Soul raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

He was surprised when Crona suddenly grabbed hold of his shoulders and spun him around, ready to push him down the hall.

"W-Well, Maka won't want to miss anything, right? So you have to take notes and make sure she gets her work…"

…_OK, I have to admit, he has a point there…_ Soul thought. He sighed, moving away from Crona and turning to look at him.

"Alright, alright, I'm going…but you don't have to go through all this trouble, you know."

"H-Huh?" Crona breathed out, confusion evident on his face.

"Look, I've already told you guys more than once I don't care what you do. So you don't have to go through all this just to do…that."

"What are you talking about…?"

"You know…Maka saying something's wrong and that she won't go to school, you skipping class to come see her…you can just wait until the weekends, you know."

"Wait for what? I don't get what you mean, what are we-"

Soul thought for a second Crona had turned into a traffic light, considering how quickly is face changed to bright red.

"Th-Th-That's not what we're doing! Not at all!"

"Uh-huh…look, Crona, I seriously don't care-"

"W-We're really not doing that! Seriously!"

"Look, at least tell me you're using protection-"

"We aren't doing that!"

"…so you're not using protection?"

"_That's not what I meant_!"

/

Crona sighed, walking back into the room and closing the door behind him. Somehow he had managed to get Soul back on his way to class, though not before he managed to retrieve his notebook from him, as well as have to listen to more veiled accusations of what he and Maka were doing.

_Why did he say that…? Was it just because we were alone together?_ Crona thought.

He then had to stop for a moment and focus all of his efforts on _not_ thinking about actually doing what Soul said they did. Which was possibly the most difficult thing Crona had ever done, taking a rather long time, with his face constantly moving from its normal pale tone to beet red.

After a while, he finally managed to calm himself down. He quietly walked back to the couch and sat down. He turned his head to look at the lump beside him, covered in the blanket Maka kept beside the couch.

"H-He's gone now…"

"Yeah…" Maka answered. "I know…"

Crona winced. _Oh, that's right…she must've heard him too…_

He watched as Maka slowly sat up, pulling the blanket off of herself and wrapping it around her shoulders. He noticed the heavy blush on her face, her embarrassment matching his own.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, not looking at him. "You shouldn't have had to listen to that…"

"I-It's OK…" Crona replied.

The room soon grew quiet, the two of them still feeling very uncomfortable. Though Crona was still glancing over at Maka, she wasn't looking up at him, instead looking downwards.

_Stupid Soul…_ she thought. _Why'd he have to go and say that to him? He had to have known how embarrassing that sounded! I swear, next time I see him…_

She looked up towards the top of her head, reaching up and tugging at one of her ears. She thought about Crona helping her with her itch, and started to realize how she was reacting.

…_I didn't help with those noises I was making…_ Maka thought, the blush on her face growing brighter. _Oh God, no wonder he thought we were doing that…I sounded like a total idiot…moaning and groaning like a dog in heat…_

She winced, letting go of her ear and pulling the blanket tighter around her. _I hate these things…I hate them so much…_

Crona watched Maka's expression change to one of equal parts embarrassment and regret. He was completely entranced, unable to look away from her even if he wanted to. Somehow, the combination of the look on Maka's face with her ears flattening over her head made for the absolute saddest thing Crona had ever seen.

What only made it worse was that it was _Maka_ doing it. Maka was sad.

So it was only natural for Crona to slowly reach over and start scratching around her ear again.

Maka froze, face still red from earlier. "C-Crona? What are you…"

Crona stopped, quickly looking away from her.

"W-Well, I just…I mean…th-the itch isn't gone…is it?"

Maka looked down. "W-Well, no…"

"D-Do you not want me to help…?"

Maka shook her head. "That's not it...it's just…"

She tried to think of a delicate way to explain things to him. Yet nothing appropriate came to mind. It wasn't like she could just flat out say "I don't want people to think we're having sex" or anything. The last thing she needed was for him to be even more embarrassed or uncomfortable.

Finally, she sighed, giving up on trying to explain things.

"G-Go ahead…if you really want to…"

There were a few seconds of silence, followed by Crona resuming scratching around Maka's ear. She gave a small sigh, but quickly quieted herself, determined to not make any noise whatsoever.

Crona frowned as he scratched around her ear, alternating between the side-to-side movements and the small circles like before. Despite doing nothing different from earlier, Maka didn't make any sounds or any indication that she was enjoying it. He hated to admit it, but listening to her sound so pleased…it really felt good for him.

Of course, he then began to think about what Soul said, and quickly flushed in embarrassment. _Is…is that what's bothering her…?_

He thought for a moment, before reaching up with his other hand and scratching as well, both hands gently moving around the area near Maka's ear.

He heard her give a small gasp of surprise, but that was all. He looked at her face and noticed that she was keeping her lips firmly closed, her cheeks still blushing rather brightly.

"Is…does it not feel good anymore…?" Crona asked.

Maka flinched slightly, still looking away from Crona. "Th-That's not it…it's just that…I don't…well…"

_So, that is it…_ Crona thought, looking at Maka's embarrassed expression. He felt a flash of anger towards Soul, upset that he had indirectly made Maka feel like this.

_No, stop it._ he ordered himself. _This isn't the time to start blaming people. Focus on her. Focus on making her feel better._

He stopped scratching for a second, then slowly moved his left hand along the back of her head, gently brushing her hair while doing so.

"C-Crona…?" Maka asked, wondering just what he was up to.

His hand stopped at her other ear, and he started scratching around there while doing the same with the first ear, both hands moving in unison with each other.

Maka let out a surprised exhale of breath, her face getting redder by the second. Before she could begin to protest or anything, she heard Crona whispering.

"Maka…please…don't think about that…"

She didn't move, unable to think of any real response.

"This…this is bothering you, I know it is…I want to help you feel better, so please…let me…"

…_I really wish he knew just how he sounded right now…_ Maka thought, wondering if her face could get any hotter. Realizing that there was no real way out of this, she let out a sigh, deciding to just give in and relax.

Crona continued to scratch around her ears, happy that she was now at least reacting to it. They weren't the loud, pleased moans from before, however, but more small breaths and slight "mmm"s instead. It seemed more like Maka was focusing on the relief she was feeling, rather than the pleasure.

Which, Crona had to admit, was probably the better choice.

Even so, some small part of him _wanted_ her to be pleased. He just hoped that part of him didn't want more than that…

He began to slow his scratching down, instead gently rubbing the areas with the tips of his fingers. He heard Maka finally let out a low moan, clearly enjoying the change in motion. He continued to gently massage the bothersome areas, Maka giving small, tired moans in response.

…_no wonder Soul thought that…_ Crona thought, his cheeks burning brightly. _But…it isn't like that, is it? It's just scratching an itch, that's all…there's nothing bad about that…is there?_

Crona soon stopped thinking about it when he noticed that Maka was actually leaning closer to him, her head pressing against his hands while he moved them.

"M-Maka…?"

Then, without any real warning, Maka suddenly fell against him, pushing him down onto the couch. He gave a slight "oof" when he felt Maka fall onto him, her head now resting on his shoulder. The blanket she had wrapped around her was now laying over them both, only adding to the strange warmth Crona was now feeling.

"M-Maka? Wh-Why did you…"

He frowned when he noticed that she had her eyes closed, and was simply breathing quietly. Her hands were now resting on his chest, neither of them reacting to it moving with his breaths. It took a few seconds, but Crona soon realized what was going on.

_She's…asleep?_ he thought, looking at her while doing so. _…she did say she didn't sleep last night…maybe I just got her to relax enough…?_

Of course, that didn't quite solve the problem, that being that she was now sound asleep _on top of him_.

_I can't just leave her like this!_ he thought frantically. _She'll definitely be upset when she wakes up! I have to move…_

He frowned, looking at the peaceful expression on her face. _But…she really needs to rest…and if I get her to move, she might not be able to again…I should just leave her alone…_

So, Crona slowly reached past Maka and pulled the blanket up a little, hoping she'd at least be warm. He stopped afterwards, his hand now resting on her back, the blanket between it and her body.

…_this…this is what I wanted…right?_ Crona wondered, looking at his hand. _To be able to hold her like this...to be this close to her…this warmth…_

Without even thinking about it, his hand moved away from the blanket and slowly moved under it, resting it on her back. His other hand carefully trailed up underneath the blanket and joined it, both of them now on her upper back. He didn't pull her closer or tried to move her in any way, despite desperately wanting to.

…_this is OK, isn't it?_ he thought. _I'm not really doing anything wrong…we're just cuddling…it's not like before, where she wouldn't know what happened…_

He looked back at her sleeping face, noticing the small smile still on it. It was remarkably close to his, their noses almost touching.

The most tempting thought he'd ever had then began to creep into his mind.

…_I could…couldn't I?_ he thought. _…just…just a tiny one…on her nose…or her forehead…would she feel that?_

He stared at her face, still surprised at just how close they were. It would be so easy, to just lean his head forward a little, to press his lips against her skin…

…_no._ he ordered himself, looking away. _I definitely can't do that. This is bad enough as it is. I can't go further. I shouldn't go further._

He gave a small sigh, trying not to focus on how agonizing this was going to be. Having to lay there, staring at the ceiling, with the most wonderful girl in the world in his arms…if he didn't move away from her, would he be able to ignore his temptations? Would he wind up giving in?

_Stop it._ he told himself. _You cannot do anything. You have to stay still. You can't move an inch. You're doing a ton of damage already, you'll be lucky if she forgives you for even this. Do. Not. Move._

He slowly closed his eyes, trying to keep himself calm.

_You can do this. Just relax. Just relax…_

/

Maka gave a slight "mmm" as she awoke, keeping her eyes closed, not wanting to really get up yet.

_Well…I can safely say that was the weirdest dream I've had…_ she thought, wondering why she felt so tired.

She sighed slightly, nuzzling her head against what she was laying on, thinking it was her pillow.

She froze when she noticed that her pillow felt oddly hard.

Eyes still closed, she carefully moved her hands around underneath her, expecting to feel her soft mattress.

What she felt was something rising and falling, in conjunction with what was unmistakably breathing.

…_this isn't my bed._ she concluded. Fearing the worst, she slowly opened her eyes to see just what she was laying on.

She flushed when the first thing she was Crona's face pointed in her direction, eyes closed and his breath heating up her face.

_Maka, for the love of God, DON'T PANIC._ she ordered herself, trying very hard to keep calm. _Think! There's an explanation for this!_

She took a few quiet breaths, not wanting to wake him and make things worse. _OK…it wasn't a dream. Blair actually did zap you…he came over, then all that other stuff happened…he was scratching…no, massaging my ears…_

She kept in the embarrassed moan she was about to make, instead placing a hand over her blushing face. _Oh God…I fell asleep on him…what is WRONG with me?_

Her first thought was just to get off of him and hope he would understand that it was all an accident, and that she didn't want to make things uncomfortable. And yet, she couldn't. No matter how much she told herself it was the smart thing to do, she didn't want to move.

…_I shouldn't disturb him…_ she thought, looking at his sleeping face. _I'll just explain when he wakes up…_

So, she decided to simply wait. When he awoke, she would calmly apologize for what happened, and he would accept it, like he always did. Everything would be fine.

Now that she was fully awake, however, she started to notice a few things.

For one, she felt what were unmistakably Crona's arms around her, simply resting on her back. She flushed a little more, wondering if they just happened to fall there or if they were deliberately put there.

She then looked at his face, and noticed the bags under his eyes. She gave a sad frown, wondering why they were there. He had been good in catching up on his sleep lately, yet he still carried an air of general exhaustion about him when she saw him.

She slowly reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, gently rubbing the area with her thumb.

…_is he normally like this?_ she wondered. _Does he sleep like this when he's alone? …what does he dream about? What's he dreaming right now?_

She couldn't help but think that his normal nights weren't this peaceful. That they were full of nightmares, of horrors that only he could fully understand. Even though she had seen what he'd been through, through his eyes, he was the one who truly experienced them. No matter how close they got, she could never truly comprehend it like he could.

A small thought entered her head: that he was sleeping peacefully because of her. Her being there somehow chased his nightmares away, letting him rest properly.

She quickly pushed that thought away, embarrassed at her childishness.

The third thing she noticed was a small thumping against her other hand. She looked down and noticed that said hand was resting on the left side of Crona's chest, rising and falling with it.

…_his heartbeat._ she thought, face flushing again.

Before she could really figure out why, she was slowly inching downwards, her head soon resting on his chest. She closed her eyes, listening to the thumping.

_Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump._

She listened to the rhythmic tone, her hands resting beside her head. She felt her head move with Crona's chest, rising and falling with each breath he took.

…_what is the matter with me?_ she thought. _It's just a heartbeat…everyone has one. What's the big deal about his? Why does this feel so…comforting?_

She wasn't entirely sure what it was, but she felt…happy. Happy that she could hear this small sound. Happy that she was being held by him, even though they had hugged one another more times than she could count. Happy that he was at peace, even if it was just for the moment.

Above all, she was just happy that he was there. Safe. Unharmed. Not in any immediate danger, whatever it could be. And that confused her.

She had an idea as to why that was, but didn't focus on it. It wasn't something she wanted to think about.

She didn't want to think about how _right_ the whole situation felt.

She then heard a small mumble escape Crona's lips.

_Oh God, he's waking up!_ she thought, her face flushing again. _What do I do? What do I do?_

She couldn't very well crawl back up and rest on his shoulder again. That would just freak him out. But she couldn't stay there, it was too…intimate, and she knew he'd be embarrassed by it.

But before she could finally come to a decision, she heard him speak.

"Maka…?"

_Don't move. _she told herself. _Maybe he'll think you're still asleep…_

"…you're awake…"

…_shit._

She gave a slight "mhm" in response, now realizing that she had buried her face in his chest.

"A-Are you OK…?"

"…s-sorry, Crona…" she whispered, still not moving. "I-I didn't mean to put you in this position…in more than one sense of the term…I don't know what happened to me…"

No response, save for his breathing becoming slightly more rapid. Maka, naturally, felt more than a little guilty for that.

She then felt his hands move off of her, followed by the blanket being pulled down slightly. She looked up to see him staring down at her, a shocked expression on his blushing face.

She quickly looked away, her face burning red. _Dammit Maka, think of something to say to him! Don't just leave him like this!_

"I-I'm really sorry, Crona…" she muttered, not realizing her speaking against his clothes was only making him more flustered. "I…I didn't mean to…I was just…"

"They're gone."

Maka suddenly looked up, confusion evident on her face. "Eh?"

Crona pointed at her head. "Th-The ears…they're gone."

Maka blinked in surprise, then slowly reached up and touched the top of her head. She gently rubbed around, not feeling anything sticking out.

"…hey, they are!"

She quickly rose up, the blanket falling off of her as she sat back on the couch. Crona sat up as well, watching Maka pat her face, checking for anything else.

"My normal ears are back…the itch is gone, too…that weird craving for meat is gone…and I'm guessing my tail is, too?"

"P-Probably…" Crona muttered, making sure not to check for himself.

Maka sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Glad that's finally over…"

"…sorry, Maka…"

Maka looked at Crona, surprised. "For what?"

"I-If I made you feel bad when I…did that…"

Maka flushed slightly, then sighed. _How is it he can apologize to me after what just happened…?_

"You didn't, Crona. It's alright." she replied. "If anything, I should apologize to you…I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything by…well, falling on you."

"I-It's OK." Crona replied, hugging his knees to his chest. "I-It wasn't…I mean, I didn't…um…"

Maka blinked, wondering why Crona was suddenly blushing so hard.

…_is he trying to say…he didn't mind?_ she wondered. She quickly pushed that thought away, not wanting to dwell on it too much.

"B-But…there's something I don't get…"

"Oh?" Maka responded. "What?"

"How did you change back?"

Maka frowned, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe it just wore off?"

"M-Maybe…"

"Actually, I just felt like undoing the spell right then."

Maka and Crona both flinched, quickly looking up at the source of the voice. Leaning over the couch was Blair, a sly smile on her face.

"Sooooooo? You two enjoy yourselves?"

As Maka let out a venomous war cry and lunged for Blair, book in hand, Crona couldn't help but wonder something.

_Where does she keep that?_

/

Whew. All done.

Bit of advice for my fellow writers: don't try and finish a chapter at 2 in the morning, only to give up and finish it the next day. Not fun.

Next review will come soon.


	17. Story 9: Deja View Part 1

Alrighty, we gots another epically large mess of a fic to get through, so let's just hurry up and get started!

Today's fic comes recommended by The Magic Popsicle. If you pass out or experience any other bit of misery due to how agonizingly long this fic is, blame her, not me!

Onward!

/

One of the problems with the "random knowledge" that was implanted in Crona's brain was that he knew so little about it. He didn't take a lot of time to really think about it, but sometimes he wondered just what it could do to him.

He knew that he and Maka could use it to call upon information regarding their own fandom, and that it would provide them information on other fandoms when it was necessary. But were there any other effects to it? Crona wondered if the knowledge could somehow affect him in other ways, whether it be through his attitude or through subconscious suggestions.

Even if they didn't make a lot of sense.

"So, what about this dream you supposedly had?" Maka asked as they descended the staircase.

"Well…" Crona began. "I was on a talk show…I think…and Black*Star and Kid were there. They were interviewing me."

"Oh? What did they ask you?"

"That's the weird part…they asked me normal questions, mostly, but I told them some of the weirdest stories…"

Maka tilted her head in confusion, giving Crona the indication that he should continue.

"W-Well…I remember telling them something about being at a roller derby with you…and that I beat up some people while I was there…"

Maka blinked, holding a hand up. "Wait, wait, hang on…so you beat up some people at a roller derby, and then told Black*Star and Kid about it on a talk show?"

"N-No, the beating up didn't actually happen in the dream…I just told them about it."

_Of course, there was the fact that I beat them up because one of them was hitting on you…_ Crona thought, making sure to not voice that part aloud.

"OK…so what happened next?" Maka asked as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Well, Black*Star asked me what my pet peeves were…I got confused and asked him what a peeve was, and why it was a pet…and then told him something about my pet hamster scratching me."

"…you do know what a pet peeve is, right?"

"Y-Yeah…and I don't even have a hamster…"

Crona stopped in front of the snack table, noticing a bag of jellybeans laying there, almost waiting for him. Maka stopped beside him, looking at the bag for a second, then at him, waiting to see what he would do.

Crona stared at the bag for a few moments, frowning slightly. It seemed almost like the bag's presence was an attempt to mock Crona for him letting one person get to him like this. After all, he'd never meet this person. Why should he let their actions affect what he does?

He let out a sigh, then reached over and picked up the bag. He saw Maka give him a small smile of approval, and couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself.

"A-Anyway…" Crona continued, now heading for his seat. "After that, Black*Star asked me what my least favourite emotion was…I told him "itchy"…"

"…itchy." Maka replied, sitting in her seat.

"Y-Yeah…I don't get it. I mean, I hate being itchy, but I know it's not an emotion…"

He sat in his seat beside Maka, placing the bag on the armrest between them.

"Then I told them about how I like to chase the ice cream truck around the city…but I did it because I liked the song…I didn't even know the truck had ice cream in it…"

Maka stared at Crona for a few moments, which put him on edge immediately. _I didn't say anything wrong…did I?_ he thought.

"Crona…you don't think you're stupid, do you?" Maka asked, a concerned look on her face.

Crona blinked in surprise, quickly turning away, fumbling with his hands.

"I-I don't think that's why…but…"

Maka sighed, reaching over and hugging Crona. He flinched slightly, worried that he had upset Maka somehow.

"I've told you before, Crona. You're not stupid. There are just things that you don't know about or understand. That's all."

Crona looked down. "B-But…there's still a lot of things I don't know…"

Maka reached up and placed a hand under Crona's chin, gently turning his head so that he was facing her.

"So what's your point? There are plenty of things I don't know. And you don't think I'm stupid, do you?"

Crona blinked. "O-Of course not! You're the smartest person I know, Maka!"

Maka smiled, her hand moving away from his chin and back to his arm, letting her hug him again.

"Thank you. So, you see? Just because you don't know something doesn't make you stupid. I've told you all this before."

"I-I know…" Crona muttered.

Maka pulled away, then reached up and gently ruffled Crona's hair.

"So stop thinking things about yourself that aren't true."

"…s-sorry…"

"It's alright."

Maka sighed, leaning back in her seat. "Anyway, what'd you mean by "you don't think that's why"?"

"W-Well…it's sort of hard to explain…" Crona began. "I just feel like I've heard that conversation before…but not with the same people…"

"…so what are you trying to say?"

"…do you ever really wonder about this…knowledge that's in our heads?"

"Sometimes. You think your dream's connected to it?"

"It might be…I just can't think of what…"

Maka frowned, leaning forward and placing a hand under her chin. Her brow furrowed as she tried to think of something that could explain Crona's thought process.

"…it's no good. I can't think of what would fit."

Crona frowned, crossing his arms. "Maybe the knowledge is only supposed to work during the reviews?"

"No, we can call up information on our own fandom…but that might only be for our own…"

"Or maybe he's directly controlling the information…"

The both of them shuddered. That was not a concept either of them wanted to focus on too much. Maka forced a smile and gently nudged Crona with her shoulder.

"Or you just dreamt the whole thing up by yourself and there's nothing else to it."

Crona gave a sheepish grin. "Y-Yeah…"

He then looked at the seat beside him at the pile of fanmail letters.

"…hey, these are all addressed to us both…"

Maka tilted her head as Crona picked up the first envelope. "Maybe people got tired of sending us separate letters?"

_Crona_

_Where DID you learn to be a swordsman?_

"…I thought that was obvious…"

_You've been in italy, and probably a lot of other countries, can you speak any other languages besides english?_

"N-No, I can't…"

_Did you know that KidXCrona is by far a hell of a lot more popular then CronaXMaka?_

Crona only gave an embarrassed moan in response.

Maka shook her head. "Honestly, why do you people have to keep telling us who you pair off with who? Do you think it's going to influence us or something? 'Cause I can promise you, it won't!"

_And, your so popular paired up with Kid because you guys are like total opposites _

_(Great father/worst mother_

_Gods son/Witches son_

_Gun kata/extraordinary swordplay_

_Pureblooded/mixedblood_

_God who keeps order /a hell inside my head =God is not beleived_

_Reasons to become a Shinigami/Reasons to become a Kishin_

_He found weapons by himself/He was forced to have weapons _

_Great Old Ones orgininal/Great old ones replica)_

Crona stared at the letter for a few moments, his face showing nothing but confusion.

"…um…w-why would I find any of that attractive?"

_Oh and by the way, I honestly DO regret to inform you this, but, much to a large population of people (all in thsi fanclub in my town that hate medusa) there really IS a MedusaXCrona romance fic. (AND it's rated M) I feel really sorry for you about that..._

Crona gave another groan, his head falling forward and hitting his tray.

"I know already…why do you people keep telling me this…?"

Maka sighed, gently patting Crona's back.

_Maka_

_Do you know that your paired with Kid more often (like, 100 more fanfictions) then Crona?_

"…what did I just say?"

_What's your favorite postcard from your mom?_

"There was one I got from her while she was in Tahiti that I liked. I guess it's comforting to know that she's at least enjoying herself…"

Crona frowned, then reached over and gently hugged Maka, his head resting on her shoulder. After a few seconds, Maka returned the gesture.

_In all honesty, if the soul eater cast was to be turned into norse gods, i think you would be Valkyrie, the Goddess that brought the warriors died in battle to Warrior Heaven. (It's a compliment by the way, i apologize if you think its weird, but i love mythology and finding similarities, though I'm just starting to learn about Norse mythology_

"…um…thanks?"

_If you learned that somone made a romantic fanfiction with you and spirit *Barfs in disgust* would you try and kill the author? (Somone actually DID make a fanfiction of you an him, and few M rated ones wih you a stein, and stein and kid (adn a steinXKidXSoulXBlackstar m rated fanfic...gah...ppl love making Stein a sick pedo,)_

Maka's jaw dropped as she stared at the letter. After a few seconds, her mouth clicked shut, and her eyes narrowed.

"…what the fucking fuck is _wrong with you people_?"

_Also, this one is for both of you_

_Did you guys know there was a fanfiction where Spirit tried to rape Crona? (Luckily he gets killed in it :D)_

Crona stared at the letter, not sure how he should react, or if he should react at all. Maka, on the other hand, knew exactly what to do.

"Oh, yeah, "luckily he gets killed in it"! Doesn't change the fact that no one should've wrote that in the first place!"

Maka growled angrily, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "How is it that, just as soon as I start to think I overdo it with how I react to you people, you wind up proving over and over that I'm clearly not being harsh enough?"

Crona simply shuddered in response, looking at the next question.

_Also, HOW THE HELL DID SOUL SURVIVE THAT BLAST FROM VAJRA WHEN IT SHOT A HOLE THROUGH STEIN BUT KNOCKED SOUL OUT? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? (That just really pissed me off, im not really a soul fan, but him being able to withstand a blast from vajra which blew a hole in the DEATH GOD is just dumb)_

"Stein's not a Death God, get your facts straight." Maka responded.

_How come in a lot of battles you guys are really hurt, but when its over, you guys dont have a single scratch on you?_

"Magic. Snort snort." Maka quipped.

_Did you guys notice in the scene from soul eater where Kid tears his test paper (The ultimate test episode) one of his sanzu lines wasn't even finsihed?_

"Fascinating." Maka replied, before grabbing the letter out of Crona's hands and ripping it apart, throwing the pieces on the floor in front of her.

Crona looked at Maka while reaching over for another envelope. "A-Are you OK…?"

Maka sighed, turning to look at Crona.

"Do you ever get tired of doing this…?"

"S-Sometimes…b-but someone has to do it…right?"

Maka tilted her head at that, then reached over and took the envelope from Crona. "I'll read this time, OK?"

Crona blinked in confusion, but nodded. Maka then opened the envelope and started reading the contents.

_To Crona and Maka_

_1) What sort of traits (personality or physical, more on the former) do you look for in the opposite sex?_

Both parties flushed brightly at the question, neither of them looking at the other.

"L-Let's just skip this one…" Maka muttered.

"Y-Yeah…" Crona added.

_2) If you were a MLP pony, what do you think you'd look like? What would your cutie mark be?_

"Hmm…" Maka started. "Well, when people usually think about this, they usually use a person's clothes as the pony's skin, right?"

Crona looked down at his robe. "So…I'd be a black pony?"

"Yeah. But what would I be? I'm either wearing this outfit or my Spartoi uniform most of the time…"

"What about your sweater vest…?"

"Oh, yeah. So I guess a tanish-yellow pony, or something."

Crona frowned. "And the cutie mark is supposed to be what we're good at, right…?"

"Yeah. Oh, and we'd also need to figure out if we were an Equestrian, a Pegasus, or a Unicorn…"

The two of them then looked at one another for a moment, before looking back at the letter.

"…we're probably thinking about this too much." Maka remarked.

"Y-Yeah…" Crona replied.

_3) How are you viewing these fanfictions? Is it film with the story underneath so you can see the stuff going on and the bad grammar, spelling, and complete nonsense? If there is any visuals for you guys, I feel even more bad for you and see you guys as way more stronger than ever before._

"No, it's just the text up on the screen." Maka answered. "I can safely say that if there were visuals to this, there would be no way I would ever come back."

"L-Likewise…"

_4) Any holidays you're excited about?_

"Well, Halloween is coming up fairly soon…" Maka answered, before turning to look at Crona. "That reminds me, we should start thinking about costumes."

Crona tilted his head. "Costumes…?"

"Yeah, Kid usually has a get-together around Halloween. We could both wear similarly themed costumes! The problem is just picking what theme to use…"

Maka turned to look at the letter, mumbling about costume ideas. She didn't notice the large blush come over Crona's face.

_Wait…the both of us going…together?_ Crona thought. _Is…did she just…did she ask me out on a date?_

_5) If you were to receive a gift, what would you want it to be?_

"Well, that's kind of a general question…" Maka replied. "But I have been needing a new pair of boots lately…"

"N-Nothing in particular…" Crona answered.

Maka frowned as Crona opened the next letter. "Oh come on, Crona. There must be _something_ you want."

"N-Not that I can think of right now…"

"…well, when you do, you be sure to tell me, OK?"

"O-OK…"

_If only I could…_ Crona thought.

_Maka_

_Do you think the Salem witch trials were horrible event in history?_

"People being slaughtered while fanatics claimed that they were witches? No, I thought it was just a peachy time to be alive. Honestly, what do you think?"

_Are you aware that authors write stories of you being secretly in love with soul. And when admit your feelings to him, he rejects getting rejected you go all depressed and try to commit suicide?._

Maka's hand met her face as she gave out an annoyed groan.

"We review bad fanfics all the time…why are you people telling us about more of them?"

_Crona_

_If Medusa didn't inject black blood in you ,but instead taught how to use magic and how to be a type of magic you possessed and what would your animal theme be?._

"I don't know…" Crona answered. "I don't even know if I could be a witch…"

Maka frowned. "I don't think I've ever seen a male witch…apart from Free, anyway…"

"Th-That could just be Mabaa's eye…"

_Do you like Hiphop and Rap music?_

"I definitely don't think I would like that…"

Crona placed the letter aside and grabbed the next one, opening it and holding it between the two of them.

_Dear Maka, I have a bad habit of biting my nails. Any tips on how I can stop?_

"Sit on your hands, I guess…" Maka answered, shrugging her shoulders while doing so.

_If someone ate just ONE innocent soul (and never did it again), would that still make them become a Kishin egg?_

Maka frowned, leaning back in her seat. She crossed her arms, a contemplative look on her face.

"…that's actually a really good question. Lord Death has never explained to us how exactly a Kishin egg is made…obviously they'd have to eat souls, but maybe there needs to be malicious intent behind it. Pretty much all of the pre-Kishins we've killed have eaten multiple souls, so I doubt just eating one would make an egg…"

Crona simply looked down at the letter, hoping Maka wasn't about to ask him for any information.

_Dear Crona, Have you ever had the chickenpox?_

"…the what now?"

Maka sighed. "It's a disease people get. What happens is that you get all these itchy red bumps all over your body, and it lasts for weeks."

"Oh…no, I've never had that…"

"Everyone has to go through it at some point. Usually when you're little. Maybe you got it and don't remember?"

"I doubt it…"

_What do you like most about yourself?_

Crona paused, staring at the letter. He was tempted to just say "pass" and move on, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He looked up and saw Maka staring at him, an expectant look on her face.

"U-Um…I-I'm thinking…"

Maka simply nodded, but stayed where she was.

Crona frowned, looking back at the letter. There had to have been something he liked about himself. Some aspect of his personality he could actually be proud of. The only issue was thinking of what it could be.

"U-Um…l…loyal…?"

_No, no, that doesn't sound right…_ Crona thought. _Me? Loyal? How can I say that after all I've done to-_

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Maka give him another hug. He turned to look at her and saw her staring up at him, a warm smile on her face.

"Good answer. That's just what I was thinking of."

Crona flushed brightly, but smiled in return. He then grabbed another letter off of the pile and opened it.

_To Make, Crona, and the rest of the soul eater cast: _

_You guys have the WORST memory ever! The A Sound Soul Resides in a sound _ and a sound _ question was a question on the test in the Ultimate Written Exam episode (A question LIZ got wrong might I add? She put Sound Cuticles (I never typed that word before or had to spell it so do NOT complain here) and Sound skin i beleive) So quit complaining when people put those in the tests in fanfictions! There only doing it because it was on the test in the anime! Complain to the guy who created you for the love of Valkyrie!_

"…um…I'm really not seeing your point here." Maka replied. "So because it was on the Ultimate Exam it's not something that was drilled into our heads from day one? And so what if Liz got it wrong? That's on her, not me. And it doesn't change the fact that virtually none of these fanfic authors have any degree of creativity."

_To Crona:_

_Why are you always so negative?_

"…I think this may be the stupidest question I've ever been asked…"

_Why do you let Ragnarok bully you?_

"Wh-Who says I _let_ him…?"

_Why the fuck did you risk your life for Maka? I mean really? WHY HER? WHY COULDNT YOU HAVE LET HER DIE? It would have made my life easier by hearing all my "MAka Is The Most Bad-Ass chick alive" friends and enemies sad and made me happy because there sad!_

Crona stared at the letter for a few moments, before leaning back in his chair, now staring straight ahead.

"…I take it back. _That_ was the stupidest question I've ever been asked. I…I think my brain's actually starting to go numb from the sheer stupidity of that question. It's really hard to think right now…just…why would I risk my life for her? Why _wouldn't_ I risk my life for her?"

Maka flushed at that, quickly looking away from Crona.

_Actually, I dont really hate maka, just am not exactly obsessed of her, or a fan of her, she's alright._

"…funny, what you just said seems to indicate otherwise…"

_You on the other hand, Crona, I do got a problem with, your weak. (Not physically, your physical strength is outstanding thanks to Ragnarok and your swordsmanship, but mentally and physically your weak. I mean, all this good stuff has happened to you, yet your only change was that you went from a badass bad guy (In anime, not in manga, in manga you went from Cool and Crazy to Crazy and Crazier) But seriously, grow a set, fight for what you beleive in, dont even TRY and let people take advantage of you (like Medusa does all the time) Speak your mind, dont let people treat you how you dont wanna be treated, fight to be treated as you want to be, and kick some people asses if you think they need an ass kicking. IF you did HALF of those things, then I wouldn't mind you as much. Your not my least favorite character, but I'm not a fan of you._

"…you know, I might be willing to listen to your advice if I didn't hate you and wanted you to jab a burning hot poker into your eye right now…"

Maka sighed, leaning over to look at the letter.

"I can tell this guy's going to be fun to deal with…"

_To Maka_

_Maka, have you ever thought of taking Anger Management classes? Give it a try, might help you control your temper that rivals that of a bull._

"I'll consider it as soon as you graduate from your special ed class."

_Have you ever noticed that YOU are the Mary Sue of Soul Eater? (You get Black Blood, a Grigori Soul, Anti-Demon Wavelength, your basically a weapon that chose being a meister, killed Asura the DEMON GOD, with a single PUNCH when even Lord Death who obviously is like a HELL OF A LOT STRONG THEN YOU got his ass handed to him by Asura!) A lot of Soul Eater fans call you a Mary Sue_

Maka sighed. "OK, first of all, no, I do not have the black blood. Soul does. Second, no, I'm not! That was the anime, and that was stupid! Third, no, I didn't! Again, anime, stupid! And finally, in case I haven't made it clear already, a lot of Soul Eater fans _are idiots_! You included!"

_Did you know, you're paired up with Professor Stein(lemon), Blair, Blackstar, Soul(Hell of a lotta lemons), Crona (Lemon), Kid (Lemon), Tsubaki, Edward Elric, Free, Giriko (Rated M so probably lemon), Medusa (Lemon) Asura (Very popular, i think a person called Z-Raid started that. Also, Lemons) Ragnarok, and probably others. (You and Edward Elric are probably most popular cross over pairing despite his english actor is your dads voice actor as well)_

Maka shook her head, clearly exasperated. "…honest question, what do you people hope to accomplish by constantly telling me what horny 14-year olds have done with my character? This isn't going to affect my viewpoint on relationships, or what I find attractive in someone! If I ever get together with a person, and let me emphasize the _if_ again, it will be because _I_ chose to! Not because Random Psycho A told me to! Seriously people, you're wasting both your and my time by doing this!"

_Ever watch Kill Bill? (Beatrix Kiddo pwns you by 100Xs)_

"Wouldn't know, I'd never fight her. If anything, I'd help her kick some ass."

_Your kind of lame by the way Maka, I mean really, you basically get to be the one with the most powerups, you get teh spotlite all the time, and when it comes to Soul your a total emotional wreck pansy._

"And you've deluded yourself into thinking the opinions of some smelly high-school dropout will affect me in some way. So really, who's worse off?"

Maka reached to grab the letter, but before she could, Crona pulled it away and immediately began tearing it to shreds. He tossed the pieces onto the ground in front of him, before grabbing the next letter and opening it.

"…Crona? You OK?"

Crona jumped slightly, looking down at his feet.

"S-Sorry…I just wanted to do it this time…"

Maka smiled slightly, but made no comments.

_Maka &Crona:_

_Have you a two notice that most pairings are made up of characters that interact with eachother?.For example people pair Maka and Soul up because their partners and the bond they pretty obvious that Maka and Soul bond isn't romantic,it's just even pair characters who even interacted just ONCE and it's never showed huh?._

"If by "amazing" you mean incredibly pathetic, then yeah." Maka answered.

_What do you think of the characters in Naruto? do you guys find them annoying or scarey?_

"I am completely indifferent to them." Maka replied.

"I-Isn't Black*Star supposed to be like Naruto…?" Crona asked.

"I think that's just people looking for an excuse to hate Black*Star."

_Maka:_

_have you ever thought of praticing Voodoo?_

"…why would I do that?"

_Were you born in the year 1988 or in 1989?Since the Soul Eater series started in 2003 I assumed that the year the story took place was in 2003 and that you look about 14 or 15._

"'88. Why?"

_Crona:_

_Whats your favorite holiday?_

"N-No idea right now…"

_Is a warlocks very rare in your kind?_

"…if you're asking if there are any male witches…we answered your question already…"

Crona placed the letter aside and opened the next one.

_Crona: You nicked a car in Siberia? Oh hells yeah, that must have been awesome!_

_How many times did you commit a car-jacking?_

_Has anyone tried to corrupt your innocent mind with things like Grand Theft Auto.?_

Crona let out a small squeak, quickly throwing the letter aside and fumbling for the next one.

"Wait, wait, wait…" Maka said. "You did _what_ now?"

"I-It was a long time ago! B-Before we even met! It was all Ragnarok's idea!"

Crona turned to look at Maka, shaking while holding the next letter.

"P-P-Please don't be mad at me…"

Maka sighed, reaching over and hugging Crona again.

"I'm not mad at you, Crona. Don't worry."

Crona breathed a sigh of relief, then opened the next letter.

_maka_

_the show seems to take the main characters such as the 7 of you plus marie, stein, spirit, lord deat, and the villans. take liz and patty for instance obviously their thr tompson sisters refferencing the guns or marie and stein marie shelly and dr frankenstein. my question is this what do you, black*star, crona, aushra, and the minzana susters refference?_

"…if you're asking me what the thought process was into picking names, I have no idea…though Asura is obviously a reference to the Hindu deities…and if our fans are to be believed, Black*Star is a Naruto ripoff…"

Maka sighed as Crona grabbed the last letter. "Almost done…"

_~Crona~_

_You're just so goddamn amazing._

"U-Um…thank you?"

_~Maka~_

_You and Crona are now tied for my favorite person in S.E._

Maka smiled. "Well, thank you."

_...But I still support KidxCrona. Just saiyan._

Maka sighed, her hand meeting her face. "Why do I even bother having hope for these people…?"

Crona echoed Maka's sigh, before getting up and walking over to the table. He grabbed the envelope sitting on top of it and opened it, reading its contents.

_If you feel a sense of déjà vu while reviewing this story, you most certainly won't be alone. This fic is almost identical to the one you reviewed before Kid made his appearance. Except much, much longer, so get comfortable._

_It's called 2 new girls by nicky4339._

_I wish you all the luck you will need. And you will most likely need a lot of it._

Crona only barely felt the letter leave his hand, allowing it to slowly drift to the floor below. He turned and headed back to his seat, quietly sitting down and trying to not start screaming.

"Crona…?" Maka cautiously asked.

"…just like before…two OCs…blatant Mary Sues…bad romances…ripping off scenes from our stories…"

"Um…purple blood?" Maka offered.

Crona quickly covered his mouth, stifling his snickering. "I-I-If I'm lucky…really, really lucky…"

Maka simply sighed, shaking her head as the lights dimmed and the show began.

/

**Tsubaski and Maka where sitting down in class**

**"Where are Black*star and Soul" asks Stein**

**"Probably skipping again" shouted Maka**

**Kidd was complaining with about something along the lines of 'The K isn't symmetrical enough' while Patty was laughing her butt off and Liz was calming him down.**

Maka: …wow, just started and we've already seen two things from our story blatantly ripped off. We're just off to a fan-dabby-tastically good start, aren't we?

**"ohh well you probably herd or haven't herd two students are coming to the DWMA and they are different if you want to say so" Stien said not wanting to give the secret away about the two girls yin and yang powers**

Maka: And here we go again…

Crona: …yin and yang powers?

Maka: Sounds generically mysterious.

**"New kids?" Maka said 'I think I know where they are' maka sweat dropped**

**~with the two new kids~**

**"well Lily we are nearly there its funny how I survived long enough to get here" a girl with long pink hair and green eyes said her clothing contained of a white tank top silk shirt and jean shorts and a yang ring on her pinky (the white side of yin and yang look it up) she was also weiring flip flops she also had a white jacket around her waist**

Maka: …"funny how I survived long enough to get here"? …is that supposed to be some indication of the expected dark past?

Crona: Probably…also, if she thinks her readers aren't smart enough to know which is which of the yin and yang symbol, why mention that she was wearing the yang half? Why not just say it was a white ring?

Maka: Especially considering Stein already mentioned the yin-yang powers.

**"I guess Nicole" Said Lily a girl with about hip length midnight black hair and heather eyes she wears a black short sleave shirt with grey shorts and tennis shoes she had her yin ring on her pinky as well except on the oppiset hand. She had her hair braided down the middle so her hair was braided to her hip.**

Maka: I find it funny that they take all this time to make descriptions that most people, myself included, just skip over.

**"LETS GO" Nicole said running**

**~with soul and Black*star~**

**"WHENIS THAT GIRL GETTING HERE SHES AN HOUR LATE YOU KNOW" Black*star screamed**

**"are we doing this to every new kid" Asked Soul**

**"HELL YA" Screamed black*star "cause you see every new student means that the people stop talking about me so I have to assassinate them" he said**

Maka: *buzzer noise* Sorry, that is incorrect! First off, we don't talk about _every_ new student! Kid was talked about a lot because he's, you know, the son of Death! Which leads me into my second point, which I've explained before, I'm sure, in that Black*Star doesn't fight every new student! If he did, the NOT class would be pretty damn small, I can tell you!

**"Right as I said last time good thing you got your priorities strait" Soul said sarcastically**

Crona: I think Soul knows this is just blatantly ripped off from before…

Maka: So he knows he's in a bad fanfic?

Crona: I guess…

Maka: …Soul, as soon as the OCs arrive, _kill them_!

**"YAY WERE HERE" Shouted Nicole**

**"Ohh perfect an idiot is waiting for us" Lily said**

**"so you two are the new kids" Soul said**

**"yep we are" Nicole said**

Maka: Soul, hurry! Before their Mary Sue powers ingrain them into the plot!

**"HEY YOU TWO I THE GREAT BLACK*STAR WILL ASSASINATE YOU"**

**Nicole looked up and 'saw' black*star**

Crona: Why is "saw" in quotations? Did she not actually see him? I'm confused…

**"HEY YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET DOWN FROM THERE BEFORE"**

***crack***

**Black*star falls and lands on his feet " face it im much to big of a star for you"**

**"fall" Nicole finished**

**"is this normal" Lily asked**

**"yep pretty much" soul said**

Maka: No. It's. Not. Just because something happened _one time_, doesn't mean it happens every day! That's on the author for being a lazy hack!

**"So you want a battle" Nicole said**

**"YEP"**

**"Ok but I'm warning you" Nicole gave the peace sign plus her thumb up "I'm not going easy on you"**

**Lily transforms into a black sword no two black swords**

Maka: Yeah, pretty sure you can't turn into two weapons.

Crona: Unless they're connected by a chain…like when Tsubaki turns into a chain scythe.

Maka: …why are you helping the Sues, Crona?

Crona: S-Sorry!

**~inside it shows stein about to cut up a tiger~**

***clink clink, clink clink***

**"huh" all the students say**

**"HEY PROFFESOR SOUL AND BLACK*STAR ARE FIGHTING THE NEW KIDS"**

**"sir" Maka started**

**"I know Maka Tsubaski as there partners come with me Kidd Liz Patty as there team mates you come with me as well everyone else study something"**

Crona: "Hey, am I the only one getting a sense of déjà vu from this?"

Maka: "Yeah, I know what you mean! It's like this exact same scenario happened not too long ago! It's so weird!"

**"So you're a sythe hmf" Nicole said**

**"and you wield the two blades"**

Maka: We established that already, thank you.

**"Soul and Black star are idiots you know that"**

Maka: Established that too.

**Kidd comments as he noticed that black*star ruined the symmetry "NOT AGAIN THE THIRD TIME DAMN IT"**

**"Nicole is the mister Lily is the weapon for now "**

**"huh what do you mean" Maka asks**

**"There both weapons but like Patty and Liz can wield each other Maka Kidd look at there souls " Stein explained**

Maka: Oh, of _course_ they can.

Crona: B-But Professor Stein just said it wasn't that unusual…

Maka: Difference being that Liz and Patty had a reason for doing that, that being the fact that Kid was held hostage by Noah. What reason is there for these two to do that?

**They both look in on the souls**

**"Wow I didn't know someone could have so much respect for someone" Maka said**

**"ya Nicole and Lily have lots of respect for each other" Kidd said**

Maka: "Gee, it's almost like that one time you fought these two, Kid!"

Crona: "I have no idea what you're talking about."

**"Hehe THIS IS FREAKIN AWSOME" Patty squealed**

**"ya ya " Liz said boredly**

**"Hey Lily these brats are stronger than I thought take over"**

**"why not"**

Crona: Wait, the fight's been going on in the background all along?

Maka: …so what the hell's the point of establishing them as fighting capable if you're not going to actually show them fighting? At least the other fic actually tried to have a fight scene! Sure, it failed miserably, but at least it tried!

Crona: …did we actually find something that's even lazier than that fic?

Maka: Honestly, I'm as surprised as you are.

**Nicole transforms into a circle but a hollow section in the middle except a bar wherei the middle of the opening is two conected handles**

**"FORM 1 CIRCLE BLADE" Lily and Nicole say**

Crona: Form 1?

Maka: …_another_ Dark Arm?

**"BUT HOW oh well I'm still going to kill you" Black*star says**

**"but the most interesting part about it is Nicole can use her forms while using Lily but Lily can't" Stein said**

Both: …huh?

**After a long time…**

**"OK NOW IM MAD NICOLE TAKE OVER" Lily said**

**"Right" she transforms "Lets go soul residence"**

Crona: …souls have houses?

**Nicole's two sword turned to one sword with a blade on each side.**

**"HA IM NOT AFRAID OF THAT" Shouts Black*star as soul moves out of the way**

**Nicole slams lily in the ground and Black*star falls in a crack about 10 foot deep**

**"BLACK*STAR!" Tsubaski yells running over to him**

**"ohh perfect more people" Lily sighs transforming**

**"Huh" Nicole says looking around**

**"ohh hello I'm Maka and you've already met my idiot partner Soul"**

**"Nicole"**

**"….. Lily"**

**"PATTYS MY NAME HAHA YOU PUT SWORD ON GROUN AN IT GO CRACK AND BLACK*STAR GO BOOM"**

Crona: …you know, I thought that after Patty actually showed up here that we'd stop seeing her portrayed as an idiot.

Maka: No offense, Crona, but that's a little naïve…

Crona: Yeah, I know…

**"I'm Liz"**

**"My name is Death the Kidd but you can call me Kidd"**

**"Umm Kidd what's up with your hair" Lily asks**

**Kidd gets a depressed look and falls to the ground**

**"IM GARBAGE TRASH I DON'T DISERVE TO LIVE**

**I DON'T DISERVE LIZ OR PATTY OR TO BE A SHIGAMI"**

Maka: *facepalm* Unbelievable…

**"a shigami" Nicole says "ohh your lord deaths son"**

**"common kidd your not trash" Liz comforts**

**"ya trash is EWW and your not"**

**"Really ok"**

**Nicole sweat drops as she walks into the school**

Maka: Was that at how silly that was or at the fact that that was yet another blatant ripoff?

**ok thats it for now disclimer : i dont own soul eater**

Maka: We figured.

**The next day…..**

**"So you come to school on a Friday as your first day… Cool" Soul said**

Crona: *opens mouth* …never mind, you already know it's his catchphrase.

**"yep that was the plan" Nicole said as Lily stayed quiet**

**"Hey want to play basket ball with us" asked Black*star**

Maka: "Because it's not like we do anything else!"

**"Why not" Lily finally said after a long silence**

**"well if it's not baseball or football fine by me"**

**"YAY NEW MEMBERS TO PLAY" Patty giggles**

Maka: 10 bucks says almost all of Patty's dialogue is in all caps.

Crona: No thanks…

**"Right" Nicole says**

**"Can't I just stay on the side lines and read" Maka complains**

**"No cause then the teams would be uneven" Soul says**

**"if she doesn't want to play I won't play so that the teams are even" Nicole says**

**"Ok then" Black*star says Maka gives Nicole a thank you look Nicole gives her the no problem look**

Crona: And the oddly specific looks return…haven't seen those in a while…

**They all get to the basketball court Nicole and Maka sit on a bench**

**Teams are as shown**

**Lily as team captain**

**Liz**

**Patty**

**Tsubaski**

**Black*star as team captain**

**Soul**

**Kidd**

Maka: Who cares, considering you're just going to skip them doing any actual physical activity?

**"aww the teams are un even Maka can you play" Patty asked**

**"no" she reaplyed**

**"I will" Nicole said getting up and going over to the boys team**

Crona: …so, what was the point in having her sit on the sidelines?

**"not Cool we get a girl on our team" Soul said**

Maka: Jackass.

**"Lets just see what you think after you see her play" Lily muttered**

**"lets go" Said Nicole**

**"Wait we need punishments" Says Black*star "ok if we loss soul has to admit who he likes If Lily losses …."**

**"Lily has to put on white make up seeing who she is" Patty says**

Maka: …"seeing who she is"? I don't follow…

Crona: And they seem really familiar with someone they've only known for a day…

**"How bout we don't do punishments" Nicole said**

**And after a long time of complaining Black*star agreed**

**"is it always like this" Nicole asked Kidd**

**"Yes it is" Kidd replied**

Maka: Because if it happened once, it happens all the fucking time, right?

**"Then I think I'll stick with you for a while" Nicole said**

**"Wait why" Kidd asked**

**"You seem to be the only normal boy in this group besides your symmetry problems" Nicole said**

**"R-right" Kidd stuttered**

Maka: Well, at least now we know one of the poor unlucky saps who will be stuck in a romance.

Crona: It's always Kid, isn't it…?

**The game ended with Soul's team 34 points Lily's team 20**

Maka: So, again, what was the point of mentioning the teams if you weren't going to show anything?

**"SO what now" Nicole asks**

**"How about we practice" Black star shouts while at the top of a tree**

Crona: Practice what? Line dancing? A scene from a play? Your ritual suicides?

Maka: …how does one practice a suicide, anyway?

Crona: …good question…

**"Lets not and say we did" Lily says**

**"Wait when did he get up there" Maka asked**

**"Black*star IM GOINGTO KILL YOU" Nicole shouted jumping up the tree**

**"CRAP" Black*star says jumping down**

Maka: Whoa, where the hell did that come from?

**"Will she really" Tsubaski asked concerned**

**"No she doesn't mean it" Lily said**

**"Good" Tsubaski sighed**

Maka: …"will she really"? …will she really. Just…wow. That's just…I got nothing. I honestly have nothing to say in response to that. "Will she really". Just…wow…

**The Next day….**

**"Hey Nicole"**

**"Ya"**

**"Want to come over me and Souls house we are hanging out"**

**"Hehe why not"**

Maka: Hey, here's a crazy idea. Why don't you include something in the writing that indicates who's talking? Sounds nutty, I know, but it wouldn't hurt to try it!

**After school….**

**"Hey Its USSS"**

**"Huh ohh Nicole come in" Maka says opening the door**

**"Thanks so what's happing"**

**"Nothing much you two can join the others on the couch"**

**"cool I'll head in there A.S.A.P"**

**Both Nicole and Lily walk into the living room**

**"sup all" Nicole says**

**"Nothing much good you can make it" Liz says**

**"hey Nicole can I ask you same thing"**

**"what Black*star"**

**"where you really going to kill me"**

**"…No"**

Maka: …*facepalm*

**"GOOD CAN WE BATTLE"**

**"NO"**

Maka: *facepalm again*

**"Hey witch one of you boys wants to take a bath with me" a woman said and came out with only a towel on**

**"Is she for real" Lily spoke up**

**Soul has a nose bleed as the towel comes "yes she is"**

**"Errr" Nicole gets a 0.o face on so does lily**

**"anyone want to take the sexy kitty home she is free"**

Maka: …*facepalm yet again* Seriously, I could probably just do this for the rest of the review and it'd be accurate.

**After a while…**

**"so Nicole Lily how did you two meet" Soul asked**

**Nicole got in a chrona position and said "I don't want to talk about it"**

Crona: …"Crona Position"?

**"Right then" Soul said**

**"A BIG STAR LIKE ME-" Black*star gets cut off by Nicole**

**"Nicoleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"**

**"Black*star warning run" Lily said**

**He stands up "why"**

**"KICK" She sends him flying and he hits a wall**

**"That's why" Lily said**

**Everyone but Nicole sweat drops**

Crona: …*looks at Maka*

Maka: I'm deciding.

*silence*

Maka: …oh, what the hell? _I'm gonna boil her in motor oil_!

**A few weeks later…**

**Chat room!...**

Crona: What now?

Maka: …oh you cannot be serious!

**Mr. Cool signed in**

**Silent flower**

**BIG GOD logged in**

**PWATTY KACE Logged in**

**=8=symmetry=8= logged in**

**Gangsta logged in**

Maka: Wow, the originality there is staggering! It's so hard to figure out who's who!

**=8=symmetry=8=: hey is Nicole on**

**Mr. Cool: You two spend a lot of time together is she your girl friend**

**=8=symmetry=8=:NO!**

Crona: So the timeskip was to explain why they're supposedly interested in each other…?

Maka: Yeah, because God forbid you actually try to have the two interact with each other or anything!

**PWATTY KACE:HE'S BLUSHING HES BLUSHING**

**=8=symmetry=8=: Am not**

**PWATTY KACE: AM TOO**

Crona: …why would Patty be blushing?

**=8=symmetry=8=:AM NOT**

**Gangsta: are too**

**=8=symmetry=8=: YOU 2 LIZ? :'(**

Crona: "Et tu, Elizabeth?"

**BIG GOD: ARE YOU GUYS IGNORING YOUR GOD**

**Book worm logged in**

**Book worm : Yes they are**

Maka: Wait, how did I know what they were saying if I wasn't in the chat?

**Darkness: logged in**

**Light: logged in**

Crona: I wonder who they are…no, seriously, I forgot which was which.

**Light: Hi Kidd, Maka, Tsubaski**

**Mr. Cool and BIG GOD: HEY WHAT ABOUT US**

Crona: Or Liz and Patty? Why didn't you mention them…?

**=8=symmetry=8=: Hi Nicole**

**Book work :hey**

**Silent flower: Hi**

**Darkness: Sooo what's up**

**PWATTY KACE:NM NM**

**Light: Hey Kidd can I meet you in a private chat**

**=8=symmetry=8=: Sure**

Crona: Do people normally announce that they're going into private chat…?

Maka: No, that sort of defeats the purpose.

**=8=symmetry=8= and Light are in a private chat**

**=8=symmetry=8=: what**

**Light: What were the two idiots doing**

**=8=symmetry=8=: who Liz and Patty or Black*star and Soul**

Maka: Oh, that's a nice thing to say about your partners, Kid.

**Light: Both**

**=8=symmetry=8=: They said I liked you**

**Light: THAT'S A LIE wait right**

**=8=symmetry=8=: …. Ya**

Crona: "Except not really."

Maka: Token romance issues ho!

**Light: Can I kick there sorry $$$ stupid chat room blocked bad langaude**

**=8=symmetry=8=: PLEASE**

**Light and =8=symmetry=8= have come back to real chat**

**Light:**

**BIG GOD PWATTY KACE gansta and : CRAP**

**Light: KICK**

**The 4 were D/C**

Maka: …so, how exactly did she kick them all if they're on a chat?

Crona: Sue powers…?

Maka: …dammit.

**=8=symmetry=8=: Remind me never to *|$$ you off**

**Light: Ok**

**Book worm silent flower and darkness:…WTF**

Maka: Indeed.

**Silent flower: oh ok**

**Light: Hey Kidd can I come over**

**=8=symmetry=8=: ya why not**

**Light: ok See you**

**Light and =8=symmetry=8= have logged off**

Maka: "But we're totally not together! Despite us constantly making everyone think we are!"

**Silent flower: we should go too**

**Dark: ya**

**Silent flower and dark log off**

**~With Nicole~**

**"Hey Kidd its me"**

**Kidd opens the door**

**"hi" Kidd says**

**"Sup" Nicole replied**

**Nicole comes in and says hi to Liz and Patty and notices Kidd is quiet**

Crona: …but he just spoke. That's the opposite of quiet.

**"Is some thing wrong"**

**"its just that.. I think the painting in my living room is 3 inches to the left "**

**"Then lets go fix it"**

Maka: *sigh* Of course that's the problem…

**They walk into the living room**

**"I WAS RIGHT"**

**"Then lets fix it"**

**"Ok before the symmetry is ruined forever"**

Maka: Because it's not like you could just fix it yourself or anything! I mean, clearly it takes two people just to readjust a picture!

**Nicole and Kidd fix the painting**

**"that was close" Kidd muttered**

**"yep I guess"**

Crona: …was that even worth mentioning at all?

**Liz coms in and grabs her by the arm "Come on"**

**"where are we going"**

**"no where"**

**"Ok see you Kidd"**

**Liz brings her into a room where Patty is sitting**

**" YAY you brought Nicole"**

**Nicole sits down and patty starts brushing her hair**

**"why didn't you tell me you just wanted to brush my hair"**

**"Cause then you would refuse"**

**"point taken"**

Crona: And how would you know that?

Maka: They apparently know each other already, remember?

Crona: …is it weird that I'm actually wanting to read the first fic again?

Maka: If it is, I guess we're both weird.

**YOUR HAIR IS SO SILKY I LOVE IT"**

**"I don't know why it is"**

Crona: Sueness. It's a condition, she can't help it.

**(I know I know im time skipping A LOT but who cares)**

Maka: Good point. So why don't you go ahead and timeskip to the end of this fic? It'd save us a lot of time and effort.

**~The next day~**

**"THE GREAT BLACK*STAR IS HERE TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY"**

**"shut up"**

**"Hey Nicole whats wrong with your eyes"**

**"huh what do you mean Black*star"**

**"there hazy cloudy and very weird whats wrong with them"**

**"N-nothing" she runs away**

**Lily thuds Black*star " she' s Blind IDIOT"**

**"ohhh WAIT WHAT" The gang says**

Maka: …were we given any indication that she was blind before?

Crona: No…and I doubt this will really affect her outside of token drama…

**"Its true" she says "she senses vibrations in the ground and air"**

**"oh ok" Black*star says**

**"cool"**

Maka: Oh, great, she's a Toph ripoff.

Crona: Like I said, it won't really affect her…

**They all run to class**

**"is Nicole planning on coming" Stein asks Lily**

**"Probably not A sertant IDIOT *cough* Black*star *cough* Offended her and she ran off"**

**"oh well"**

Crona: "The less I care about what's going on, the less I'll be in this fic. Or so I hope."

**"HEY KIDD GO GET HER"**

**"Um Lily why me"**

**"You probably know where she is go find her"**

**"Stein may I "**

**"Knowing Lily you should"**

**"Ok" he leaves to go find her**

Crona: …never mind, apparently he cares enough to know who they are and their personalities.

**~Nicole pov~**

Maka: Oh _goddammit_!

**I ran away from Black*star to the library and sat there and read a warriors book**

**I didn't feel like going to class or seeing any of my friends at the moment. I lied down, after seeing what they had just deciding to read the warriors book I brought, on the roof knowing no one would find me then I herd a voice that I couldn't mistake Kidds**

Maka: Yeah, great, cool, you're reading a Warriors book. Thanks for mentioning that more than once.

Crona: Wait…how is she reading if she's blind?

Maka: …so I guess that isn't affecting her at all.

Crona: I really do hate being right…

**"what are you doing up here"**

**"Reading what else idiot"**

Crona: "Wait, you're not blind anymore? It's a miracle!"

**"Your should be in class"**

**"and? just leave me alone"**

**"Not till you come back to class"**

**"I don't want to see Black*star Soul Or Anyone incluiding you" I growled madly**

**"COME ON"**

**"SHUT UP STRIPES" I Screached slapping him and leaving**

Crona: *winces* Why does everyone have to be so loud…?

Maka: And how does she know about his stripes if she's blind? …oh, wait, we're ignoring that now, aren't we?

**~inside no one pov~**

**"SHUT UP STRIPES" Everyone herd than a thud to the ground**

**"Oh great she's mad" Lily sighed**

Crona: Wow, Captain Obvious is back!

**~Back to Nicky's pov~**

Maka: Great, and now the _pointless_ POV jumps are back too! It's like they're purposely trying to piss me off!

Crona: …so, this is a trollfic?

Maka: I'm almost willing to believe that at this point…

**I jumped from the roof onto the ground and seeing that Kidd followed I got MAD**

**"KIDD LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE ALREADY GET IN THE DANM FREAKIN SCHOOL AND STOP FOLLOWING ME IM NOT GOING INTO THE CLASS FOR NOW ALRIGHT SO SHUT UP"**

**I saw him get depressed and realized what I said**

Crona: …what part of that was so bad that it would hurt Kid?

Maka: No idea. …maybe the asymmetrical amount of words?

Crona: Could he really count that fast…?

Maka: It wouldn't surprise me. At least this Kid doing that wouldn't.

**"Kidd I'm sorry I didn't-"**

**"leave it" He said and walked inside**

**"Mean it" I said then ran away to my house I was sorry about what I said I really was**

Maka: Wow, this is so dramatic! What she said could destroy their potential romance, despite us not seeing it develop at all! Oh, the tension is almost too much to bear!

**~Kidd POV~**

**I walked into the class room emotionless I was surprised when Nicole Blown up on me she was always calm**

Crona: When she isn't threatening to randomly kill people…or kicking people for no reason…

**"What happened I could here her screeching the first part from in here" Lily asked**

**"Nothing but she refused to come and I couldn't convince her to come" I lied the first part**

**"oh ok" Lily sighed**

Maka: "I completely believe your incredibly weak and obvious lie!"

**~back to Nicole pov~**

**I arrived at home and I felt guilty about what I had said and went in my room and realized I had tears coming down my face I wiped them quickly but they just kept coming out I sat in my room and cried for a long time and before I knew I herd the door slam and Lily call "IM BACK" I ran over to her still crying she asked me what was wrong I replied "I said Horrible things to him"**

Maka: "I told him to…*gasp* Shut up!"

Crona: *loud gasp*

Maka: "I know!"

**"I'm guessing you mean Kidd"**

**I shook my head**

Crona: …no, I'm pretty sure it was Kid she yelled at…

**"Just say sorry"**

**"he won't want to talk to me"**

**"I'm sure he will"**

Maka: You've obviously never taken part in a crappy romance story.

**~5 days later Lily pov~**

**I finally managed to get Nicole to come back to school 3 days ago but looking at her was sad to me she was always away from every one Kidd tried to go over and say sorry once but she ran away from the lunch table she was sitting alone at he tried twice more but she ran away just saying "no" to him I looked at her right now at the top of the room alone in the corner desk Kidd was heading up there right now but as soon as he did she ran over here**

Maka: See?

Crona: …wait, I thought Kid was the one who didn't want to talk to _her_. Why is she the one who's running away?

Maka: Crappy romance, Crona.

Crona: R-Right…

**"I don't wana talk" she told me**

**"*sigh* just say sorry"**

**She ignored me but this couldn't go on forever could it?**

Maka: No, but it'll probably go on as long as you can make it go, right?

**~one month later Lily pov~**

Maka: Yeeeeep, so called it.

**I was wrong Its been a month and she is still avoding Kidd, soul, and Black*star She is at least hanging out with the girls Im starting to get worried Kidd has tried probably well over 50 times now to get her to talk Im just not sure how she is feeling**

Crona: Even if she explains it, it probably won't make any sense…

**~Nicole pov~**

**Im not sure how long its been since I said those words to Kidd but I don't want to talk to him at all he keeps coming up to me but I just run away hoping he'll leave me alone**

Maka: Because hey, it's not like you should take responsibility for screwing up! That'd just be silly!

**~1 day later~**

**I (Nicole still)**

Maka: *facepalm* If you have to remind us which one's talking, that should probably be a sign that you shouldn't be jumping around so damn much!

**was walking to the death city Café to meet up with Maka and Tsubaski when I got there I ordered some tea and drank it we talked for a while and before I knew it it was 8:00 at night we said our good byes and I left I saw Kidd sitting down on a bench talking to Lily I ran away and I noticed one thing different this time He was running after me**

**~no ones pov~**

**"NICOLE WAIT UP"**

**"NO GO AWAY"**

**"Why just wait up will you"**

**"n-" She was cut off by her falling over a root of a tree branch**

Maka: Annoying how those just pop up out of nowhere, isn't it?

**"Finally caught up to you" Kidd said as it started to rain "come on lets go somewhere more sheltered"**

Crona: …does it always rain during dramatic moments in these fics?

Maka: If it's a crappy romance, then yes.

**Nicole tried to run away but she was caught on the branch**

**"you need help"**

Maka: You got that right.

**Kidd asked Bending down and getting her foot un tangled then grabbing her arm to go somewhere sheltered witch was a pavilion near by**

**"Nicole are you ok"**

**She held her leg and said "fine"**

**"Nicole why are you avoiding me, Soul well just me and Soul"**

Crona: What about Black*Star? Or are you not counting him now?

**Nicole sat down and broke down into tears "I'm sorry Kidd I really am I didn't mean what I said I really don't"**

**"Nicole I forgot about it"**

**"huh"**

**"I forgot about it now lets go and please don't avoid us any more"**

Maka: That's right, folks! Just avoid a friend after you've had an argument with them! Rather than do the sensible thing and give up on you, they'll eventually just forget about it, absolving you of all blame! What a great message to teach people!

**"I won't um Kidd can I go home now"**

**"ya I'll walk you its 8:30 right now"**

**"ok then"**

**He walked her home but ? pov**

**So my sister got herself a friend or two huh my idiot sister getting a friend as if maybe I should kill her yes that's what I'll do**

Maka: …wait, "?" POV?

Crona: …oh God, _another one_!

**~one week later~**

**Snow it was snowing?**

**Nicole walked confused in the sow in her normal outfit**

Maka: Snow? In Nevada? …_really_?

**~Flash back~**

**A bottle of pills fall out of Nicole's bag**

**"HA ADHD PILLS" black*star laughs as Nicole snatches the pills from B*S and runs from her house were tsubaski and B*S came for a bit**

**~flash back ends~**

Maka: Well, that was pointless.

Crona: Wait…how would Black*Star know what ADHD pills were just by looking at them?

Maka: …there is one way…and I can't decide if that's funny or not…

**~2 hours later~**

**Its night now…**

**"NICOLEEEE" Liz shouts**

**"FOUND HER" Shouts Patty**

**"Nicely spotted" Liz says going over to a fainted Nicole and a pool of blood**

Maka: Uh…did we miss something?

**Liz's eyes widen and she picks her up marry style to revel the back of her shirt is stained red and she has 3 claw marks in it**

**"She is still breathing and it's a pretty resent wound lets take her to Kidd's" Liz says**

**"RIGHT" Patty says**

**They get there and Kidd sees Nicole**

**"WHAT HAPPENED" Kidd shouts**

Maka: Kinda wondering that ourselves here…

**"we don't know Kidd we found her Fainted in the snow like this we should treat her wound"**

**"R-right" Kidd says cleaning her wound and Patty bandaged it using wrapping**

**"put her in the guest room" Kidd says and Calls Lily**

**Lily answers "hello"**

**Kidd explains what happened**

Crona: …could you actually tell us what happened? Because we still don't know…

**"ok keep her there for the night please"**

**"ok"**

**He hangs up**

**~Nicoles pov~**

**~flashback /dream thing (I don't know) ~**

Maka: …if you don't even know what it's supposed to be, _how can you expect us to_?

**"LEAVE ME ALONE" A young Nicole screeches**

**"GET BACK HERE" A girl with Light sky blue hair and eyes shouts to her the hair went down to her shoulders she also had a whip said**

Crona: *groan* I knew it…

**"HELLL NO" Nicole shouted**

**"oh now you'll get it" The girl started using the whip**

**"LEAVE ME ALONE" Nicole yells**

Maka: "And if you could stop whipping me too, that'd be nice."

**~Flash back/ dream thing ended~**

**I woke up in a …Bed?**

Crona: You know, that soft fluffy thing that people usually sleep on?

**I looked around everything was symmetrical I knew where I was Kidd's house I saw Liz come in**

**"you up" she asked**

**"What does it look like"**

**"What's wrong with you"**

Maka: If we listed everything wrong with her, we'd still be here when Christmas arrives.

**"Sorry it's just who attacked me and a nightmare combine…"**

**"oh ok sorry so come down for breakfast"**

Crona: …shouldn't she be staying in bed if she's injured?

**"I will but can I borrow a brush?"**

**"Catch" Liz threw the brush**

**"Thanks" Nicole catches it with one hand and starts to brush her hair**

**"Hey Ill see you down stairs"**

**"ok"**

**5 minutes later…**

**Nicole comes into the Kitchen and see's Kidd**

Maka: Oh, great, more pointlessness, this time with the hair brushing.

**"hi Kidd" she whispered**

**"huh oh hi Nicole how are you"**

**"IS NICOLE OK IS NICOLE OK" Patty said jumping onto Nicole**

Crona: *winces* Why can't people stop shouting…?

**"I am why not"**

**"what happened yesterday" Liz said**

**"oh ya I'm fine"**

Maka: "It's not like I got clawed in the back and left for dead or anything!"

**"YAY"**

**"Here have breakfast and my dad wants to see you and Lily so ya"**

**"Ok thanks Kidd"**

**Nicole eats her breakfast ,witch was symmetrical (thanks to Kidd),**

Maka: Noooooooo! And here I thought it was because of Noah! Wow, what a shocker!

**goes home and changes and then goes to the death room**

**"WAZ UP WAZ UP WAAAAZ UP thanks for comin"**

**"You called us so what did you need us for" asked Lily**

**"well I don't think Nicole will like it but there is this mission in Ohio Austin town (NO I DONT LIVE HERE)**

Maka: No, you clearly live in the Bullshit Nation!

**That needs investigated"**

**"…" Nicole was silent**

**"There is this girl Crystal that has power over shadows"**

**"CRYSTAL!" Nicole and Lily yelled**

Crona: …why do I have this sinking feeling…?

**"yep go investigate it oh 2 more things try not to transform and you will be going to the AMS see ya"**

**He hangs up**

**"Not that stupid school again" Nicole sighs**

Maka: Sooooo, they're not just Sues, they're self-inserts?

Crona: *shudder* Not again…not Tempation again…

**~no one pov~**

**"Hey Kidd you ok" Maka asked it had been a month (I love months)**

Maka: Oh, really? I couldn't tell!

**since Nicole and Lily had left**

Crona: And why would a mission have them be gone for so long…?

Maka: My guess is that they got killed. And by "guess" I mean "intense hope".

**"Huh oh yes im fine why" Kidd answered**

**"No reson you have just seem down lately that's all" Maka answered**

**"So I wonder why father wants us to go to the death room" Kidd says to get off the topic**

Crona: And why exactly is Kid interested in her anyway?

Maka: Sue.

Crona: …must be nice to have everything handed to you without any effort given whatsoever…

Maka: I wouldn't know.

**"Ya and where's Black*star" Soul asked**

**"ASSASINS RULE NUMBER 1 DISOLVE INTO THE-"**

**"FOUND HIM" Patty giggled**

Maka: …you know what, I'm honestly not surprised by it anymore. I fully expect more things ripped off from our story to appear here.

**"ohh look we are almost there" Liz says as they enter the death room**

**" WAZ UP WAZ UP" Lord death cheered**

**"Why are we here"**

**"well its about Nicole and Lily's Mission they haven't returned yet and they reported yesterday and Nicole said she was fine but im not so sure she is…" Death said**

**"So he wants you to go with stein to Ohio to get her (yes am making another fan fic just pm me if you want to know what it will be about and what this part has in common with another part in that story)**

Maka: Wait, wait, wait, what? You're making another crappy fanfic to coincide with this one? …are you really so egotistical to think that people will care about what just your OCs are doing?

Crona: Is that what it's supposed to be about…? I honestly couldn't tell…

Maka: It wouldn't surprise me at all if that were what it's about.

**and see if she needs help stein will be a sub in her class and starting when you get there till you leave your class" Spiret explained**

**"is that why steins here" Black*star asked**

**"yes now go get ready"**

Maka: Oh, we get to go to "normal" school. _Joy_.

**~at the same time Nicole's pov~**

**"hey Nicole did you hear we are getting 7 new students and a sub starting tomarow" Lily asked**

**"Yep"**

Maka: "That's not even slightly suspicious despite us knowing people that could fill those spots!"

**~ 2 days later~**

**"ok class I am your substitute" Stein said walking in**

**"OH MY FREAKIN GOD NOT HIM" Lily said, no shouted**

Crona: Yeah, we could kind of tell she shouted from the all caps…

**"who" Nicole asked**

**"LOOK"**

**"oh crap" Nicole muttered**

**"And today we have 7 new students Lily Nicole"**

**The whole classes attention turn to them**

**"Yes stein"**

**"What is it dissection freak" Lily mutters the last part**

**"You might recognize them" He says**

**The soul eater gang walk in**

**"what the…." Nicole says standing up**

Maka: "I thought we ditched them so we could make the fic all about us!"

**"Hi Im Maka Albern"**

**"Soul eater evans"**

Maka: *facepalm* _That's not his name_!

**"I AM THE GREAT BLACK*STAR THE MAN WHO WILL SUPRESS-"**

**A Knife lands next to Black*stars head and every one turns to Lily**

**"Thanks for letting me borrow the knife stein"**

Crona: …that's not "normal" school behavior, is it?

Maka: No, not even slightly. In fact, I'm surprised she wasn't locked up for that. …or just because, for that matter.

**"Im Tsubaski And im sorry for his behavior"**

**"Im Death the Kid but you can call me Kidd"**

**"Elizabeth but call me Liz"**

**"Patrica but call me Patty"**

**"Ok go sit by Nicole and Lily" Stein says than says "ok today we will be dissecting -"**

**~Lunch~**

Crona: …why would you dissect your lunch? I don't see Professor Stein being interested in that…

**"Hey why you sitting here alone" Maka asks Nicole and Lily**

**"Cause people here hate us" Nicole mutters**

**"What makes you say that" Kidd asks**

**Nicole hands Kidd a note**

**To Nicole and Lily –**

**We hate you**

**From Clear and Becca and everyone else**

Maka: …*snickers* Well…can't argue with evidence like that…

**"YO YOU 7" A voise says**

**"Oh fu-" Nicole gets cut off**

**"Why you hanging out with the blind and her friend " a girl with blond hair and pink dress asked**

Maka: Token Preppy Bitch Alert! Everyone get your pimp hands ready!

Crona: …"pimp hands"?

Maka: I'll explain later…

**Everyone was silent then Nicole says "shut up clear"**

**"aww is blindy Mad" A girl with brown hair and also light pink shirt and blue jeans added**

Maka: Ooooh, "blindy". Nice one.

**going over to Nicole and Punching her and sending her flying to hit a wall**

Maka: …well, that was unexpected.

Crona: …could you do that again? Please?

**Black*star goes over to her (Clear) and Black*star goes**

**"YOU DARE HURT ONE OF THE GREAT BLACK*STARS FRIENDS FEELINGS"**

**"Black*star I'm used to it" Nicole mutters**

**"Huh Nicole what do you mean" Tsubaski asked**

**"Before I went to the DWMA this was every day" Lily sighed out**

Maka: "You know, it's not like we can defend ourselves against ordinary humans! It's not like we're superpowerful weapons or anything!"

**"so it seems" A new voice added**

**"Profesor stein?" Nicole asked**

**"You might want to keep away from this group as you have been shown they know how to fight" Stein mutters**

Crona: Wait, how did they show that? …was there another fight scene that the author skipped over and we didn't notice?

**"NICOLE LILY I MISSED YOU" A girl with dark black with grey high lights and grey Flip-flops with a grey tub top and grey shorts with a grey head band with a rose bulb on the side of it with grey eyes and a grey pearl bracelet and a yin yang sign neckless and two grey pearl ear rings said as she jumped onto Nicole.**

**"CRYSTAL GET OFF ME" Nicole said**

Maka: Wait…that's Crystal? Not that mysterious Mary Sue with murderous intent?

Crona: But…then…*screams* _Another one_!

**Now that the hyper girl was off Nicole you could see Crystal stood up to Nicole's shoulder. She also had her hair down to her hips and it was neatly brushed**

**"BUT I MISSSSSSED YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH" Crystal whined**

**"Um Nicole who is this" Liz asked**

**"Our target sadly" Nicole and Lily muttered**

**"Why so sad" Patty giggled**

Crona: Why do you think? _It's another Sue_!

**"You'll see soon" Lily said**

**"Well your coming to navada with us Crystal lets go" Nicole said**

**"WAIT NAVADA YAYAYAYAYA" Crystal yelled running out the school**

**"CRYSTAL GET YOUR SORRY ASS BACK HERE" Lily yelled**

**"Ok lets go" Nicole said leaving**

Crona: …I thought it was Nicole that needed the ADHD medicine…

Maka: They all need serious medication. Author included.

**8888888888**

**Ok sorry the chaptie was short but I have an anousment I wount probably be uploading for another week im going on vaca and wellim not sure if the place has wi-fi so see ya**

Maka: *sighs* Well, at least now this is over.

Crona: U-Um…actually, we still have a lot to get through…

Maka: How many chapters?

Crona: …fifteen.

Maka: …please tell me you're kidding.

Crona: U-Uh-uh…

Maka: …we can do this! We can make it through this! Just…just have to take it one step at a time…

Crona: …it's only going to get worse from here, isn't it…?

Maka: Probably…

Crona: *whimpers*

/

OK, that's all I can take right now.

So yeah, we've got ourselves another monster to get through. I'd like to think I can squeeze this into 3 parts, but we'll probably have to go to 4.

I'll be back with another update soon.


	18. Story 9: Deja View Part 2

OK, here's the second part. Let's not waste any time and just get to it.

/

**It had been 1 week since The gangs return**

**"LILY-CHAN IM BOREDDDDDDDDDDD" Crystal yelled**

Crona: I know the feeling…

**"Then watch Tv" Lily muttered**

**"OK" Crystal yelled turning on the tv**

Maka: "In local news today, there has been a massive outpouring of Mary Sues invading the state of Nevada. Residents are advised to not make eye contact with the creatures, so as to ensure that their willpower remains intact."

**"hey you two can we all talk" Nicole said entering the house**

**"NICKYYYYYY-CHANNNNNNNNNNNNNN" Crystal hung on Nicole**

Maka: Oh you are just going to be tons of fun, aren't you?

**"Sure"**

**"Now that us three are back together our powers are high and Crystal's shadow powers are whats allowing her to attend DWMA but only lord death or any teacher for that matter know that Crystal with you around our Yin yang power increases so basically our power in genral increases so we have to be care full while training get it"**

**"got it" They both muttered**

Maka: Thank you for explaining that for the folks at home, who shouldn't even care about that anyway.

**"good now lets go to school" Nicole said**

**They arrive at school**

**~Nicole pov~**

**'Something doesn't feel right' I though ' oh well'**

**~no one pov~**

Maka: …do I even need to say it this time?

**2 poriods later….**

**Everyone is outside training then a crash is herd**

**"Miss me Nicole" A voice says as a lady comes out with a blue dress and head band on no shoes**

Crona: *screams* _Why are there so many of them_?

**"NOT YOU AGAIN LILY CRYSTAL"**

**"SHADOW FORM GO" Crystal shouted her grey turning black and her hair growing to her sholders**

**Lily transforms**

**"aw no hello from my sis YOUR NO FUN"**

Maka: …so, was that the "?" POV from before?

Crona: *shudders* Even then…way, way too many Mary Sues here…

**"Sister?" The original gang screamed**

**"Die Mist" Nicole yelled**

Maka: "Mist"? Wow, you are just overflowing with creativity here, aren't you?

**While Nicole and Crystal fought the se ang noticed that they were the only ones left**

Both: …huh?

**Nicole then said something to Lily that surprised every one**

**"Yin yang time?"**

**Lily transformed human and said "yin yang time"**

**Sudenly Nicole yelled "Yang Light"**

**Lily muttered "yin Darkness"**

**Crystal giggled out "BOTH COMBIND EQUALS FULL POWER"**

Maka: What are they, The Wonder Twins?

**Both Nicole and Lily said "EVERYONE WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS JUST GET READY FOR AFTER"**

Maka: Oh, what, you'll let us actually do something? Well, aren't we lucky?

**That's when maka relized Nicole and Lily's rings were off**

**"Maka Kidd get Nicole and Lily's rings " Crystal said**

**"Got Nicoles" Kidd muttered**

**"Got Lily's " Maka muttered**

Maka: "Wonder how much I can get for this…"

**"So your FULL POWER STILL ISNT IN" Mist said**

Crona: …so they're even more powerful…?

Maka: *sigh* Of course they are…

**"oh my this should be interesting" Stein said like he appered out of no where**

Crona: I didn't know Professor Stein could teleport…

**Nicole dodged all Mists attacks by doing back flips and Lily dodged them by doing air flips**

**"NOW YIN YANG MAIN ATTACK SWORDS OF THE TWO POWERS" Both yelled Nicole getting a white sword Lily getting black both criss crossing paths and killing Mist a kition egg appering**

Maka: Well, that was anticlimactic…

**Lily eats it and grabs her ring but Nicole's eyes go completely white and her hair stars to turn white but Nicole screaches**

**"DAMN NOT AGAIN" Lily shouts**

Maka: Oh, so the powers can make them turn evil too. Gee, what a completely unexpected plot twist!

**Kidd shots Nicole two times cause his weapon is the only one that won't faulty hurt her Nicole went back to normal and fainted Lily put her ring back on**

**"Nicole… She has a fever" Lily said picking her up**

Crona: That sort of came out of nowhere…

Maka: The soap opera diseases strike again!

**They go to the infermery**

**"Here put this on her fore head" The nurse said Leaving after handing Lily a rag with freezing cold water on it**

Maka: …so she has a fever, which is presumably from some sort of virus or something, and all you give her is a cold cloth to put on her head?

Crona: M-Maybe it's a magic cloth…?

**Nicole wakes up**

**"AH oh what happened"**

**"The yang was trying to take over" Lily explained**

**"What does that mean" Maka asked**

**"Her demonic side could have took over we are lucky she got the fever or she could have attacked us" Lily said**

Maka: Yeah, totally didn't see this coming…

**"So what is yin and yang powers" Liz asked**

**"It powers up our attacks and speed also allowing us to not need to use each other as weapons but…" Nicole said**

**"it has its defaults like how we are opposites or how if we take the rings off to long the yin or yang side could take over" Lily finished**

Maka: But despite that, you're just going to focus on using those powers rather than fighting as meister and weapon like everyone else, aren't you?

Crona: Then what was the point of making them both weapons…?

Maka: Sues.

Crona: …right…

**"So where does Crystal stand in this" Tsubaski asked**

**"I POWER UP THERE ATTACKS I FIGHT USING SHADOWS" Crystal said**

Crona: And what does that have to do with yin and yang…?

**"Your also rather annoying" Lily mutters causing everyone to laugh**

**"HEY NICOLE I KNOW WHAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BET-" Black star started**

**"Black*star don't yell" Lily said**

**"-ter my autograph!" He finished jumping on her to start to sign her forhead**

**"GET THE HELL OFF ME" Nicole said**

**Black*star was about to sign when Nicole said "THAT'S IT" and shocked him with light**

Maka: …"shocked him with light"? I'm pretty sure that isn't how light works.

**"DAMN THAT HURTS" Black*star yelled in pain**

**"Nicole what did you do" Kidd asked**

**"simple I shocked him using light" Nicole said falling asleep**

Crona: You just said that…

Maka: And it still doesn't make sense.

**"Well ill bring her home" Lily said picking her up**

**~later as in 1 week~**

**"hey Nicole can I ask you something" Patty asked**

**"Ya what"**

**"Who was mist"**

**"…" Nicole walked to Chronas corner and said "I don't want to talk about it"**

Maka: But it was just said that she was your sister!

Crona: Wait…if she's supposedly in "my" corner, that'd mean they're in my room…

Maka: …_why are they in his room_?

Crona: And where am I while this is-no, wait, wait! N-Never mind! I-I don't want to know!

**"PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE" Patty nagged**

**"Patty don't nag her about it if she doesn't want to talk she doesn't have to" Kidd said**

**"thanks Kidd" Nicole said and then her phone rang**

**"What is it Lily" Nicole asked**

**"hmm" Kidd lisened**

**"You two stepped on nails ….again" Nicole said "ok Ill ask some one bye" she hangs up"**

Maka: …what does stepping on nails have to do with anything?

**"hey Kidd I need a place to stay for a night or three" Nicole said**

**"why"**

**"Lily and Crystal Stepped on Nails and need tecnise shot and Lily doesn't do good with shots that hurt for a long period of time nether does Crystal" Nicole said**

**"And why me" Kidd asked**

**"Maka and soul have Blair… and Black*Star HELL NO"**

Maka: Ohhhhh, it's to set up more crappy romance! Why didn't I see that sooner?

**"Ok come on over if you want" Kidd said**

**"SLEEP OVER SLEEP OVER" Patty giggled**

**"So where is Liz" Nicole asked**

**"Umm Shopping I think" Kidd said**

Crona: …and? What was the point in bringing her up? Is that supposed to go somewhere…?

**08080808**

**Ok im only going to do this ones more:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul eater HAPPY?**

Crona: I guess not…

Maka: No, we're not happy. We'd be a lot happier if you have absolutely nothing do with us in any form whatsoever, but apparently, we aren't that lucky.

**Nicole's at Kidd's house all set up in the guest room.**

**"Hey Nicole wana play with me and Liz" Patty asked**

**"I don't see why not what are you playing" Nicole said**

**"Make over" Patty giggled dragging Nicole into a room**

Maka: *rolls eyes* Of course…

**"hey Liz" Nicole sighed**

**"what is it" Liz asked**

**"nothing" Nicole smiled**

Crona: …huh?

Maka: I have no idea.

**After …**

**"come on lets wash this make up off" Liz said seeing it was 9:30 "Kidd goes to bed or trys to go to bed at 10:01"**

**"umm ok" Nicole said**

**They take the makeup off and Nicole sees its 10:00**

**"I'll be in my room reading or something " Nicole said**

**Nicole walks in her room and starts to read**

Crona: They still haven't explained how she's reading while blind…

Maka: I still say they're just ignoring that outside of for the sake of drama.

**Someone knocks on her door**

**"Come in"**

**"Hey you going to bed" Kidd asked seeing she was in her pj's**

**"Not yet" Nicole smiles**

**"hey Nicole im ceruse as well Who was Mist?" Kidd asked**

**"… she was my sister" Nicole said frowning**

Maka: _We established that_.

**"I know that why did she"**

**"try and kill me my sisters hate me they have all become ketion eggs except one"**

**"Huh how many sisters do you have" Kidd asked**

**"…12"**

Maka: What.

Crona: T-T-T-_Twelve Mary Sues_? Ohhh…*faints*

Maka: Ah! *starts shaking Crona* No, Crona! Come on! We probably won't even see them!

Crona: *wakes up, stares at Maka*

Maka: …OK, I didn't believe that either. But please, don't leave me alone with them!

Crona: …s-sorry…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**"so who is the non-evil one" Kidd asked**

**"Sadly Crystal" Nicole muttered**

Crona: …was that supposed to be a plot twist or something?

Maka: If it was, then I think we can safely say it fell flat on its face in terms of drama.

**"ok continue on" Kidd sat down on her bed**

**"My mom hated me she would whip me for no reason she pampered everyone else she would give me the least amount of food and she let my sisters use their powers to train on me" Nicole said**

Maka: *starts rubbing her thumb and finger together* Take a wild guess which instrument I'm playing right now.

**"That's why you didn't want to tell patty"**

**"Yes but that's not the worst of it they left me with this" Nicole said taking off her flinger-less gloves carful enough not to remove her ring to showing long scars on her hands.**

**"oh ok" Kidd muttered**

Maka: Wow, Kid cares about this as much as we do.

**"Ohh and Kidd besides you only Lily and Crystal know this so don't tell any one ok? I might tell Liz sence I know she can keep a secret but not patty" Nicole said**

**"Um ok"**

**Kidd walked out**

**"Why did I tell him" Nicole muttered putting her glove on "Do I- No I can't like him"**

**Nicole thought for a moment then said "maybe I do" She smiled**

**"maybe I do" then she fell asleep**

Crona: …I'd ask why, but I can already guess the answer…

Maka: Sad, isn't it?

Crona: Very…

**THE NEXT DAY….**

**"NICOLE TIME TO GO TO SCHOOL" Patty jumped on her**

**"ok" Nicole got up and ready she went down stairs to see Kidd on the ground**

**"IM GARBGE TRASH I DON'T DISERVE TO LIVE IN FACT KILL ME NOW"**

Maka: …*sigh* Why do we even bother?

**Patty was giggling "opps ies"**

**Nicole sighed then she went over to him**

**"Kiddo your not trash what do three lines matter you are a shagaime and a hell of a good one too No ones going to kill you so don't ask" Nicole said**

Crona: …you know, the reading thing could probably be explained by her reading Braille, but how does she know about Kid's stripes?

Maka: Crona, you really should stop trying to apply logic to this. It's not going to work out.

**"r-realy" Kidd asked**

**"yes realy now a test is today lets go take it" Nicole said**

Maka: Wait! My precognitive powers are acting up! They're telling me…that this is going to blatantly rip off the Ultimate Exam!

**~At school~**

**"BEGIN" Sid shouted**

**Nicole started writing stuff down**

**Lily did the same**

**"Soul come down here" Sid called again he got strip searched**

**"Go back up" Sid said "But don't let me catch you again"**

**Nicole looked at Kidd who was writing his name**

**"Kidd" She hung her head down "How can he be so smart yet so stupid" she muttered she had finished her test and looked around the room she saw both Crystal and Patty making paper giraphs by the looks of it patty was teaching Crystal how to make them Next was soul muttering some thing tsubaski and Maka were working on there test Liz was picking at her nails and Lily was also looking around the room Black*star was muttering about suppressing god and he sat on the other side of her She looked at Kidd again and he was still writing his name she saw him starting to cry then ripe the paper then faint**

**"SID KIDD FAINTED" Soul called**

**"LEAVE HIM BE" Sid said**

**"oh Kidd" Nicole sighed and looked at the paper he was working on "Death the K- " Nicole had a -_- look on and before she knew it the test was done**

Maka: Can I call 'em, or can I call 'em?

Crona: You can call 'em…

**"Kidd getup" Liz muttered**

**"NO IM GARBAGE TRASH I CAN'T EVEN RIGHT A K RIGHT"**

**Patty was laughing like no tomarow and Nicole came over**

**"Kidd its just a 'K' No big problem so get up"**

**"NO IM A FALURE" Kidd cried**

Maka: *sighs* How many times is this going to happen?

Crona: W-Well, Kid is one of the romance victims…so…probably at least once per chapter…

Maka: Greeeeeeat…

**Lily and Crystal came over and whispered something into Nicole's ear**

**Nicole got an evil smile and whispered into Kidd's ear**

**"Kidd get your freaking ass moving or go to hell"**

**Patty looked like she wanted in and said "get your ass moving now, Damn you"**

**Kidd's eyes widened and he ran out of the room**

Maka: …*head meets tray* Please…just, please try…put _some_ effort into this…

Crona: *hugs Maka*

**"You two are harsh" Liz said**

**"We know" Nicole and Patty said at the same time smiling**

**Every one chased after Kidd**

**"I'm better now" Kid said**

**"OW MY FREAKING ARM FEELS LIKE ITS IN HELL" Lily yelled in unison with Crystal as the group sweat dropped**

Crona: …congratulations?

**"Ookayyyyy that aside" Nicole started**

**"THE GREAT BLACK*STAR WANTS TO FIGHT CRYSTAL" Black*star yelled**

Maka: Why bother? It's not like we're gonna see it.

**"Hehe haha OK LETS DO THIS SHADOW FORM" Crystal said all grey idioms going black "Show form on" Crystal said**

**" A BIG STAR LIKE ME WILL BEET THE PUNY GIRL"**

Maka: Why are you making all the guys except Kid so chauvinistic?

Crona: To justify why he's with one of them…?

Maka: So, basically, make everyone except their personal favourites look bad? Yeah, like we've never seen that before here…

Crona: *twitch* Y-Yeah…

**"what did you call me?"**

**"A puny girl"**

**"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME I WAS GOING TO GO EASY ON YOU BUT NOW IM GOING ALL OUT"**

Maka: Geez, if that's enough to set you off, what's going to happen if I call you, say, a psychotic bitch? And honestly, that's me being nice to you.

**"ohh hell this is going to be bad" Lily muttered**

**"SOUL WAVE LANTH ATTACK" Black*star yelled**

**"ARG SHADOW BOOM" Crystal yelled Then a lot of explotions happened sending black*star flying**

**"OW MY FACE" Black*star yelled**

Maka: *snerk* OK…that was kind of funny…

**This goes on for hours and both Lily and Black*star sit down exhausted**

Crona: Wait…I thought it was Crystal who was fighting, not Lily…

Maka: You can actually keep track of who's who now?

Crona: Sadly…

**"You're a good fighter" Crystal said back to normal**

**"You too you almost deafeated a big star like me ALMOST"**

**"HEHE I guess" Crystal laughed " I OW MY ARM IT HURTS DAMN IT"**

Maka: Why are we still going on with that?

**"It looks more like Lily and Crystal are sisters" Kidd whispered as she sweat dropped**

**"Well technically Lily **_**is**_** my sister her Mother and father adopted me and Crystal" Nicole whispered**

**"ahhh ok" Kidd said starting to walk away "Nicole Liz Patty we are leaving"**

**"KAYYYY" Patty said**

**"Coming Kidd" Liz reaplies**

**"See ya later everyone" Nicole says walking away**

**"Why is Nicole leaving with Kidd" Asked Black*star**

**"Crystal and I got tecnise shots and we cause problems when it comes to shots sooooo I told Nicole to ask Kidd if she could crash at his place" Lily explained**

**"ahh that makes sence" Maka stated**

Maka: No, not really…though I guess that does explain the whole "my arm hurts" thing.

Crona: What's a "tecnise" shot, anyway…?

**~with Nicole Kidd Liz and Patty~**

**"Hey Kidd Ill cook Tonight ok?" Nicole said**

**"What no your our guest please you don't have to" Kidd said**

**"Hehe Hey it's the least I could do for you letting me crash at your place" Nicole said**

**"Come on Kidd let her" Liz said**

**"If I have no choice" Kidd said**

**~later at after dinner~**

Maka: What? Not going to regale us with how she's such an excellent cook?

**"hey can I help" Nicole asked Liz who was washing dishes**

**"Why not Kidd has forbidden Patty to do dishes because she breaks them" Liz laughed**

**Nicole laughed " I can see Patty doing that too" She grabbed a rag "Im surprised he doesn't have a dish washer for how rich he is" Nicole stated**

**"He said he hated how ASYMMETICAL IT WAS ON THE INSIDE" Liz mimicked**

**"That sounds like him" Nicole commented and laughed drying dishes as Liz put them in the sink**

**"Your cooking was good" Liz said**

Maka: Oh, wait, there it is.

**"I do better with disserts " Nicole said and put the dry dishes on the table**

**"Ill have to try one" Liz said**

**"hey Liz have I ever told you my past" Nicole asked**

Maka: "I'm telling everyone, even though it's my dark and painful past that I don't want to tell anyone!"

**"no why"**

**"I guess its fair that I tell you since I told kidd" Nicole muttered. Nicole tells her past to Liz (to lazy to type it LOL)**

Both: …*facepalm*

**"Don't tell patty or anyone else" Nicole whispered**

**"I won't" Liz said**

**"Thanks Liz" Nicole said**

**"We also had a hard Life Patty and I we grew up on the streets of new york and my mom abandoned us so it was just our luck we had to go mugging kiddo?" Liz sighed**

Crona: …why'd that turn into a question?

**Nicole and Liz finished the dishes**

**"Its only 7:00 what do you want to do"**

**"Dono" Nicole sighed out**

**Nicole remembered what she brought over "hey I HAVE AN IDEA do you guys have wifi"**

**"Um yes" Liz stated**

**Nicole runs up and gets her laptop "this"**

Maka: Oh no! Don't you _dare_ go back to that chatroom, young lady! You stay here and you actually _do_ something for once!

**Cool but I don't know the password" Liz sighed**

**"Did Kidd make the password"**

**"Yes" Liz said**

**"Hm" She typed something and the screen didn't log on**

**Again she tried and failed**

**So she typed something else and the screen said 'CONNECTED'**

**"you figured out the password" Liz said amazed**

**"it was simple first I tried 'I love symmetry' failed 'Im not symmetrical' witch of course fail then just 'symmetry' that's what worked" Nicole smiled**

Crona: That wouldn't be it…

Maka: What makes you so sure?

Crona: The word "symmetry" isn't symmetrical, so he would obviously pick something else…

Maka: …you'd better not tell him that. I think that'd just destroy him.

Crona: G-Good point…

**"Nice job" Liz commented**

**"Patty's asleep" Kidd called Seeing Nicole's laptop he said "DID YOU FIGURE OUT THE WI-FI CODE"**

**"Yeah" Nicole said "It was simple"**

Crona: "Surprisingly, I have no problem with you hacking into my wi-fi."

Maka: "That's just because I'm a Sue, silly!"

**Later…**

**"Night people" Nicole calls out before getting ready for bed**

**Again later…**

Maka: What, did Paddington Bear come for a visit?

Crona: …do you think people will get that?

Maka: I should hope so!

**Kidd walks into Nicoles room to find her staring at a book page**

Crona: …OK, she isn't reading Braille.

Maka: Told you not to apply logic.

**"hey" He says**

**"Huh hi Kiddo" Nicole says**

**"Whats up" Kidd asks**

**"nothing at all" Nicole lies ' I have to stay in control or my yang will take over' she thinks**

Crona: I fail to see how that explains you staying up late…

**"Ok well im going to head off to bed" Kidd said and left**

**Nicole fell asleep and woke up to Liz in her face**

**"MORNIN" Liz shouted**

Maka: Wrong Thompson.

**"Morning Liz" Nicole reaplyed and brushed out her hair and got her normal outfit on**

**Nicole Kidd Liz and Patty ate breakfast and then went to school no surprice Lily and Crystal weren't there.**

**~skip to after school~**

Maka: …seriously, I'm still hoping you'll just skip ahead to the end of the story.

**"Hey Nicole Liz Patty Maka and I are going to the mall wana come" Tsubaski asked**

**"HELL YA" Nicole said witch made Everyone sweat drop**

**"what I cant be hyper once and a while" she said**

**"I guess so" Black*star said**

Crona: "You'd need to have a character to be out of character, so whatever."

**~ok at night~**

**"hey Kidd tell me something"**

**"What is it Nicole"**

**"Why do you like symmetry"**

**"….Ocd"**

**"Oh you already know I have ADHD" Nicole said "I'm starting to learn how to control my ADHD but your OCD will never where of" Nicole stated**

Maka: Wow, I didn't know you knew how exactly Kid's mind worked!

Crona: …please don't tell me she has mental powers too…

**"Ya so what are the advanteges of having Yin yang powers"**

Crona: "This will give you the chance to exposit about how much better you are than the rest of us some more."

**"hm I Guess Ill tell you ok Lily Crystal and I all have different sides on the yin yang thing in battle these sides are deadly and can be murderous they take over the body unless you have learned how to control this side. Lily nearly has I haven't Crystal hasn't even unleashed her side" Nicole explained "as for speed and stamina Lily and I can run as fast as your hover bored thing"**

**"hover bord thing?" Kidd sweat dropped**

**"ya that thing you used to go to Egypt then destroy the pyramid of anibuse" Nicole said**

Crona: "Anibuse"? …anime abuse?

Maka: Hey, we had an anime made of us, and this is definitely abuse…we're victims of anibuse here! Someone make some arrests already!

**Kidd dropped to his knees**

**"IM GARBAGE SCUM AN ASYMMETRICAL FAILER WHY DID I DESTROY THE PERFECT SYMMETRY"**

**"Kiddo your not any of that" She said rubbing his back "Come on the past is the past this is the present so get up" Nicole smiled**

**"Really?"**

**"Really" She said helping him up smiling**

Crona: "Oh, I thought this was the future."

Maka: "Do you see any flying cars anywhere?"

**"Nicole I have one more question"**

**"Ya Kidd"**

**"How long are you so post to live" Kidd asked**

**"… I don't want to answer that" She said**

Maka: …where the hell did that come from?

**"good night Kidd"**

**"Your avoiding the question like my dad" Kidd sighed as he walked out**

Crona: And what does Lord Death have to do with this…?

**~the next morning~**

**"Hey Nicole wake up wake up" Patty said cheerfully**

**"I feel sorry for Liz and Kidd" Nicole muttered**

Maka: Why? Did they break up or something?

Crona: …Liz and Kid are dating?

Maka: Well, no…I mean, not in our universe, but maybe there…forget it. Now I'm trying to apply logic to this.

**"Nicole Kidd said he was going to see his dad do you think you might know why" Liz asked when she got down stairs**

**"No" Nicole said surprised**

**~with Kidd~**

**"Father I have a question about Nicole Lily and Crystals powers"**

**"Why not ask them" Death asked**

**"I asked Nicole but she avoided the question"**

**"Ok what is it"**

**"How long will Nicole Lily and Crystal Live" Kidd asked**

**"… they are some what like shagaime's in a human body they are immune to toxin and ceamicals like hair die –"**

**"Wait that's Nicole's natural hair color"**

**"ya"**

Crona: What's Nicole's hair colour again…?

Maka: I dunno, I skimmed her description.

**"ok continue"**

**"So them being like shagaime's there life span last as long as them except they don't have to do reaps and other shagaime business but still they have to live with the other side of them"**

**"there yin and yang form is always a grudge Lily has mastered hers and can use it"**

**"and Nicole"**

**"Her form is to powerful It always has a chance to take over her body" Death sighed out**

**"Thank you father" Kidd said and left**

Maka: Soooo, did you get any of that?

Crona: I think so…something about how they can live forever, but they have to be together in order to do so…?

Maka: So they're immortal Sues?

Crona: *shudders* I r-really hope not…

**Nicole woke up in her room "well its Sunday what to do" Lily came in**

**"SUP"**

**"hi Lily"**

**~ok time skip to Monday~**

Maka: …why? Why do you constantly include segments that contribute nothing to what's going on? For the love of God, lady, get an editor!

**"Hey Nicky-chan how are you" Patty yelled**

**"Good patty but when did you start calling me Nicky-chan "**

**"TODAY" She giggled**

**"well ok"**

Maka: *twitch* You people are not Japanese! Stop pretending to be!

**"PATTY"**

**"CRYSTAL"**

**Nicole and Kidd sweat drop and lily sighed**

**"Oh god" Liz said**

Maka: My thoughts exactly.

**"HEY KIDD how are you and the stripes on your head doing" Some one yelled**

**"black*star…" Lily said**

**Kidd fell to the ground "IM TRASH GARBAGE ASYMETRICAL PIG I DON'T DISERVE TO LIVE NICOLE HAVE LILY TRANSFORM THEN CUT MY HEAD OFF"**

Both: *facepalm*

Maka: It never ends…

Crona: I really, really hate being right…

**"HELL NO WAY KIDD" Nicole said getting on her knees and putting her hand around him**

Crona: Agh! Her hand grew! How am I supposed to deal with that?

**"Comon get up you're a grim reaper" Nicole said pulling him up and hugging him causing him to blush bright red only Liz noticed the blush**

**"Are you two dating now" Tsubaski asked**

Maka: Oddly forward of you, Tsubaki…

Crona: You mean "Tsubaski"…and now I'm picturing a redheaded version of Tsubaki turning into a bottle of Tabasco sauce…

**"N-no" Nicole said**

**Kidd got up and put his hands in his pockets "Liz Patty we better get to class"**

**"RIIIIIIGHT" Patty said**

**"mmmkay" Liz said**

**~with death the Kidd~**

**"Kidd can I talk to you" Liz asked**

**"Sure patty why don't you go make a giraffe" He said trying to get her away**

Crona: She said she makes things besides giraffes, you know…she actually showed me the horse she made recently…

**"KKKKKKKKKKK" Patty said jumping off**

Crona: …saying "k" over and over again is more than a little odd…

**"So what did you want to talk about"**

**"Do you Like Nicole"**

**"W-where is that coming from"**

**"The fact that you blushed bright red when Nicole hugged you" Liz said**

Maka: "That's usually a dead give-away in crappy romances like this."

**"S-she's just a friend" He said starting blush**

**"Okayy" Liz said more people started to come in**

Maka: "I instantly believe your incredibly obvious lie that's been used by God knows how many people before."

**'do I like her' He thought 'mabey'**

**"Hey Kidd whats up" Nicole said**

**"Nothing much"**

**"ok"**

Maka: …can you _please_ just write things that have to do with the plot? What little plot there is, anyway?

**A chair rolled in and stein fell off it**

**"ok class today we will be training"**

**"YES NO DISECTION" Yelled Crystal**

**Everyone laughed**

**"ok opponents are Nicole Crystal vs Maka and Black*star with Kidd that's the first round"**

Crona: …round? So, what, is this a tournament…?

Maka: Oh, great, just what we _didn't_ need. A tournament arc.

**"Ok lets do this" Nicole said**

**'what they don't know is that this battle will determin if Nicole's team joins there residease Link 'stein thought**

Maka: …their what now?

Crona: I have no idea…

**"Nicole go into cross bow mode" Lily said**

**"Right" Nicole tranforms**

**Liz and patty transform**

**"Tsubaski Enchanted sword mode"**

**She transforms**

**Soul transforms**

**Crystal goes to shadow mode**

Maka: And three, two, one…

**(Ok since im to lazy to writ everything that happens Nicole transforms once more into her gun mode witch to every ones surprise was Huge and totally destroying Black*star and Maka Crystal was taken out by death canon so it was Lily and Nicole left with Kidd Liz and patty)**

Maka: Aaaaand there we go.

Crona: …if Subarashii was here, he'd say something about how you'd have to actually try to be this lazy…

Maka: Isn't that a contradiction in terms?

Crona: I don't think he'd care…

**"Nicole double sword mode"**

**"Right" she goes into that mode**

**"SO LETS DO THIS" Lily yells**

**"RIGHT SO- ARG"**

**"Whats happening" Lily asked**

**"The yang side it Trying t-to take over"**

Maka: Of course! Because we wouldn't want to go five minutes without some needless drama, would we?

**Nicole says Lily gives Stein the 'its happening look' and stein says "Class dismissed except for Maka, Soul, Black*star, Tsubaski, Kidd, Liz, and Patty"**

Crona: How can people read such oddly specific looks…?

**"Ya what is it" Tsubaski asked As Nicole transformed and got on her knees her hair was starting to turn white Lily knoded**

**"tell them I know 2 people in this room are for sure knowing this but the rest no"**

**"ok Its Nicoles Yang side its taking over her"**

**"WHAT"**

**"um professor is yang side like madness" Maka asked**

**"No its worse its Demonic it takes over the persons body and controles there actions Nicole has only half learned how to control it Lily knows how ad Crystal hasn't even found her demon side. Yang is the strongest of the two so it is hard to learn how to control. "**

Maka: OK, OK, wait a minute. One, how is this supposedly demonic? Two, how can one side of the yin-yang duo be stronger than the other? Since the two are supposed to be balancing each other out, that wouldn't exactly work!

**he said Looking at Nicole who's nails are now like claws and hair is all white he outfit changed too it is now a white tank top and white shorts with no shoes her forhead had the yang sign on it Nicole let out a screech of pain**

**Crystal went over to her sister as did Lily "looks like we are fighting" Lily said "YIN FORM half" Lily said her hair staying black and her eyes turned black she had on a tube top and shorts in this form with no shoes and like Nicole she had the yin mark on her forhead**

**"Shadow form"**

**"Crystal this is only half of her demon form shes learned to control that much but she cant control her body only her form will half transform" Lily explains looking at Nicole who is still screeching holding her head then stops out of no where and growls Nicole opens her mouth she has fangs her gloves are gone showing scares**

**"so this is yang spiret animal or full demon for would be a wolf"**

**"A wolf? Stein what do you mean are they were wolves" Maka asked**

**"No the yin and yang forms take Wolves as there demon form so there not were wolves or neko's." He said**

Crona: …you know how in video games "It Is Always Stars"?

Maka: …sure?

Crona: I think we can say that, in bad fanfics, "It Is Always Wolves".

Maka: Sounds about right…

**"GRRRR" Nicole growled her sharp teath and white eyes showing then she attacked Lily**

**"Nicole Snap out of it" Lily growled**

**"SHUT UP SHUT UP" Nicoles voice came out "GET OUT OF MY BODY" Then a darker voice came out "No I am you if you take me out you loss your soul"**

**"That's the curse of yang" Stein said "The curse of yin is figuring out how to deal with it"**

Maka: Yeah, the whole yin-yang is pretty much just for the sake of sounding cool. Clearly a case of Did Not Do The Research.

**"And crystals curse" Tsubaski asked**

**Black*star was oddly quiet**

**"Crystal powers up the two's powers and she holds a little of each demon in her hers is the weakest but still" Stein said**

Crona: "Not that it matters, all three of them are clearly better than us."

**Nicole started to loss control and attacked Lily again**

**"Dark sword" Lily said a long sword appering**

**"now that's a tecneace they both have mastered and can use out of half demon or in half demon form" Stein said**

Crona: …a "tecneace"?

Maka: And where is Stein getting all this information, anyway?

Crona: Plot convenience…

Maka: I was wondering when we'd see that here.

**Nicole sudently grabed her hand**

**"LIGHT LAZOR" Nicole commanded a white light appering out of no where**

**"Arg" Lily cried**

**Crystal went over to stein "Why is that happening she doesn't go bersek unless shes mad"**

**"Interesting" Stein said**

Crona: "I'm just hoping you two will kill each other so we can go back to doing something important than spend all our time on you."

**Nicole suddenly screeched again then two bullets came from a gun**

**"Nicole snap out of it" Kidd shouted**

**"Luckily Kidd's weapons wont be fatal unless he wants them to so he should be able to help" Maka said**

**Nicole attacks Kidd**

**(btw Lilys fainted and Crystals healing her)**

Maka: …*facepalm* If you can't have that happen in the actual story, clearly you're doing something wrong!

**"WHITE LAZOR" Nicole yells attacking but missing Kidd**

**"NICOLE" Kidd Yells**

**"GET OUT OF MY HEAD" Nicole yells then her eyes widen and she falls "Lily? Crystal? Kidd?" Nicole's voise is normal and her apperence is the same as usual She goes over looks at Lily and runs off**

**Maka and Tsubaski go after her**

**"Damn shes strong"**

Maka: Sue. Duh.

**"Kidd you ok?" Liz asked as Her and Patty transform**

**"ya fine"**

**~With Nicole Maka and Tsubaski~**

**"NICOLEEEEEEEE" Maka yelled**

**"NICOLE PLEASE TELL US WERE YOU ARE" Tsubaski yelled**

**"What" Nicole was in a tree**

**"come down"**

**"….fine" she says coming down Maka noticed that she was crying**

**"Nicole you ok" Tsubaski asked**

**"NO MY FREAKIN YANG SIDE TOOK OVER AND MADE ME ATTACK LILY AND CRYSTAL AND KIDD" Nicoles tears were going all the way down her cheeks**

Maka: "Oh, if only I didn't have these incredibly unbalanced powers that cause token drama by making me go crazy!"

**"I might have killed them"**

**Maka and Tsubaski hug Nicole "Its ok Nicole you didn't"**

**"STILL" Nicole cry's " If I tell you a secret can you keep it"**

**"ya" both maka and Tsubaski promise**

**"I Think I Like Kidd" Nicole whispers**

**"awww" Tsubaski says**

**"I knew this was going to happen" Maka says**

Maka: Surprisingly, I did. Unsurprisingly, so did everyone else.

**"Im going to to tell Lily and Liz but not Patty and Crystal"**

**"I understand that" Maka whispered**

**"How bout we eat out here"**

**"That's a good idea Tsubaski" Nicole said**

**"Ok ill be right back" Tsubaski said and 10 minutes later**

**"Back and I brought food"**

**"Good"**

**They sat down and ate**

Maka: …you know, I think I'm starting to see the core problem with this fic. It doesn't show anything happening, it just tells us that something happened. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of what you're supposed to do when it comes to writing!

**~now with Kidd~**

**"Hey Lily you ok"**

**"Ya im fine Crystal"**

**Kidd sat down Liz sat next to him after a while Nicole came into the room with Tsubaski and Maka "sorry"**

**"Its not your fault" Lily said**

**"No sorry for running off" Nicole says**

**"Its fine" Kidd says "I think we have learned by now it's a habet when your sad or upset "**

**"haha yeah it is" Nicole and lily laughed and were soon joined by crystal patty Maka and Tsubaski and then Liz**

Maka: Yes, let's all laugh at someone's method of coping with guilt. That's what real friends do!

**Nicole starts to head home**

**"Hey Kidd can I talk to you" Lily said**

**"um sure what Lily"**

**"has Nicole told you her past"**

**"Ya she told me a LOT of things" He said**

**"Wow she really trust you" Lily said**

Maka: "You know, despite telling a lot of other people too."

**~The next day~**

**Nicole walked through a forest. She was bored because no one was at home and they told her to stay home so her yang wouldn't activate but Lily knew where she would be**

Crona: …so, wait…despite just endangering her friends because she supposedly couldn't control her powers, she's going to deliberately not try to control them?

Maka: That's about the gist of it.

Crona: …and people wonder why I don't want to deal with Sues…

Maka: *pats Crona's back*

**~with Lily~**

**"Hey Lily-chan wheres Nicky-chan " Patty asks**

**"They told her to stay home" Crystal said**

**"ahh ok" Liz said**

**"And Kidd where is he" Lily asked**

**"Symmetry issues"**

**"ahhh"**

**~TIME SKIP~**

Maka: …what, you're not even going to say how much time has passed now?

Crona: …is she actually getting lazier as this goes on?

Maka: That's pretty damn bad…

**"hey Lily" Nicole says**

**"Nicole! Whats up" Lily said**

**"Nothing much just bored as hell"**

**"Nice how bout we go get something to eat" Lily said**

**~Time skip to a day later~**

Maka: …OK, I will pay you 20 bucks if you can go _one chapter_ without writing something completely pointless. I'm not even kidding.

**"So Nicole how do you feel" Kidd asked**

**"Just fine why"**

**"No reason"**

**"good"**

**Crash**

**"WHAT THE HELL" Black*star yells**

**"NO WAY ITS…" Crystal yells**

**" FLARE" Nicole screaches**

Crona: *shudders* J-Just g-great…

**"Let me guess another sister" Maka guessed**

**"Yep"**

**After a while**

**"Got her soul" Nicole said**

**"Ya" Lily said**

Crona: …never mind.

Maka: *frustrated sigh* Seriously, what is the point? Why bother having people fight if you're not going to write out the fight scenes?

**"Ok class dismissed except for you 9" Stein said**

**"What is it" Nicole asked**

**"I want to add them to your residence group"**

**"WHAT" Black*star yells**

**They try it and it works first try**

Both: Of course.

**"HOW DID THAT WORK" Soul asked**

**"Simple knowing black*star he trys to take over the soul thing so I let him " Nicole said**

**"Who wants to hang out at out our place "Nicole asked**

**"I've never seen your house" Maka said**

**"Then lets go" Lily said**

**They arrive at Nicole's house**

**"I'm going to cook" Nicole says**

**"I'll help" Maka says**

**"ok"**

**"What do you guys want "**

**"Does it matter" Black*star said**

**"NICOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"**

**"SHIT"**

**"KICK"**

Maka: …yeah, we should totally like these people for randomly attacking their friends. That's perfectly normal.

**~OK time skip to tomarow~**

**"Ok class what are we going to do to day"**

**"LET US IN DAMN IT"**

**"NO WAY ITS…"**

**)))))))))))))))))))))))))((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))(((((((((((((((((((()( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )(**

Maka: Whoa, what the hell?

Crona: Did she fall asleep on her keyboard or something…?

**CLIFF HANGER YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY WHO IS IT HINT: Look in Real school chapter**

Maka: Oh, it's an obvious cliffhanger. Never mind.

**OK YAY CHAPTER 8**

**Kidd: ITS SYMMETRICAL**

Maka: Ugh…

**Nicole: YEP**

**Crystal: HEHE ON WITH THE CHAPTER**

**)( )( )( ;) :P**

Crona: …why is she sticking her tongue out at me? That's just rude…

**"ITS CLEAR AND BECCA" Crystal yells**

**"Huh" Becca looks up**

**"Hey look Clear it's Crystal"**

Maka: Oh, great, The Libbys are back.

**"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE" Nicole yells**

**"OH LOOK ITS BLINDY" Clear yells**

**"SHUT UP" Nicole yells about to come down but Kidd and Lily grab her**

Maka: Seriously, what is this person? Ten?

**"Nicole she's just trying to antagonize you settle down" Lily says**

**"Don't get to mad you might unleash your yang" Kidd whispers**

**"…Grr fine" Nicole says**

**"Ahh I remember you your that kid that entered our old school for one day then left" Becca says**

**"How are you allowed to enter this school" Maka asked**

Maka: A good question! Libbys, your response?

**"Simple beccas a weapon a flame thrower to be exact"**

Maka: …well, that kinda came out of left field.

Crona: Was that supposed to be a plot twist…?

Maka: If we could care enough about it, maybe.

**"The question is how is SHE allowed in this school" Clear asked pointing her finger at Nicole**

**"Simple Nicole and I are weapons able to wield each other" Lily said**

**"Ya but she's blind" Becca said**

Crona: I don't get it…why is she being mean to a blind girl? It's almost like she's there for the sake of picking on her, and is just using that as something to make fun of.

Maka: *stares at Crona*

Crona: …I just answered my own question, didn't I?

Maka: You did.

**"I'm not as blind as you think" Nicole said walking down followed by Lily, Soul, and Black*star**

**"Do you want to fight" Lily asked**

**"fine"**

**"Well lets go out side Maka, Tsubaski, Kidd, Liz, Patty, and Crystal as there residence team come with us every one else study some thing" Stein said**

**~outside Lily transforms so does Becca and Soul does his syth arm thing Black*star gets ready~**

**"Black*star soul?" Nicole questions**

**"Hey we want some action" Black*star says**

**"Oh well" Lily said**

**"Let's battle"**

**Ok so skip to the end**

Maka: …seriously, just…try. Please, try. I don't care if it turns out to be absolute crap, just _try_.

**"HOW WHERE WE BEAT BY A BLINDY" Becca yells**

**"Simple Nicole can sense vibrations in the air and ground"**

Crona: That still doesn't explain a lot of things she can do that being blind wouldn't let her do…

**"Hey Nicole Kidd Maka Black*star Lord death wants you" Stein calls**

**"Huh what does your dad want us for Kidd" Nicole asked**

**"D-dad?" Clear stutters**

**"huh oh my dad is grim reaper thought it would be obvious" Kidd said walking away everyone followed**

Crona: "I'm not called Death the Kid just because it sounds cool or anything."

**"Stein why does lord death want us"**

**"dono"**

**They get there**

**"Waz up waz up WAZZZZ UP"**

**"Hello lord death" Everyone but Kidd says**

**"Hello father" Kidd says**

**"Ok I want you to go to Easter island there are ketions that are appering out of nowhere" Lord death said**

**"DON'T WORK THE GREAT BLACK*STAR WILL KILL-"**

**"Shagaime-CHOP"**

**"We are on it" Nicole says pulling Black*star out As everyone follows out**

Crona: …they're not going to actually do anything, are they?

Maka: Doubtful.

**Well are you in trouble" Clear smirks**

**"No we are going to easter island for a mission" Nicole said still pulling Black*star**

**"Wait I think my paintng at home is 2 millimeters to the left" Kidd said**

**Nicole sighed then shouted**

**"KIDD GET A HOLD OF YOUR SELF AND FORGET ABOUT THE DAMN PAINTING"**

**Then she starts to drag Kidd to his house "go check" She mutters**

**"Thanks" he says running inside and 5 minutes comes out "just my imagination"**

**"ok lets go then" Lily said transforming**

Maka: …OK, 25 bucks for you to write something that isn't entirely pointless. Come on, I know you can do it.

**Liz and patty transform and Kidd gets on his skateboard thing Souls on his Bike black*star is well running at full speed and Nicole is running slow enough to stay with Kidd**

**~at easter island~**

**Liz asked Kidd "so have you disided if you Like Nicole"**

**Kidd froze and glanced at Nicole who is litterly gliding on the air**

Crona: Wait, what? How is she gliding…?

Maka: …never mind, we both know the answer to that.

Crona: Oh, r-right…

**"I think I do" Kidd confesses (ya I have him admit it on chapter 8 :P)**

Both: *facepalm*

**Nicole touches the ground glides a bit and touches again "Hey Lily I don't think I told you yet"**

**"told me what?" Lily asked**

**Nicole blushes bright red**

**"Noo you like some one"**

**"Guess"**

**"Kidd"**

**"Nice guess"**

**"Am I correct ?"**

**"….yes"**

**"I KNEW IT"**

**"Shut it"**

**"DON'T Tell Crystal or Patty"**

**"I wont I won't "**

**"good"**

Crona: *yawns*

Maka: …

Crona: S-Sorry…

Maka: No, I'm just surprised it took you that long.

**~Later~**

**"Ok lets go"**

**"Umm Kidd Maka Use your soul sence thing"**

**"Ok Nicole" Maka says**

**"Ohh god its near by" She said as all the weapons transform**

**"THE GREAT BLACK STA-"**

**"Its underground" Nicole said**

**"BUT HOW" Black*star screams**

**"Well this is Easter island " Kidd said**

**"And" Crystal said**

**"It has under water caves" Nicole said as well as Maka**

Maka: …and? Whether it does or not, I would still be able to tell that it was under us. So what does that have to do with anything?

**Kidd knoded**

**Nicole stripped off her close reveling a 1 piece bathing suit**

Maka: …wow. Really? We're really gonna do the whole "bathing suit" bit? *sighs* Why must crappy romances be so damn predictable?

Crona: I-Isn't that part of what makes them so crappy…?

Maka: …good point.

**"I knew this would happen Hey Crystal go back home really fast and get bathing suits for every one" Nicole said**

**"KK" Crystal yelled and sank into a shadow returning 5 minutes later with bathing suits for everyone**

**"HOW DID YOU GET THOSE" Soul asked**

**"I located them in your houses WAIT DO WE HAVE TIME FOR THIS" Crystal yelled**

Maka: "Yeah, I just broke into your houses. Aren't I just a great friend?"

**"No" Nicole yelled jumping off the edge of the cliff**

**"NICOLE ARE YOU INSANE" Everyone but Crystal and Lily said**

**"Nope" She said when she was in the ocean**

Maka: Bullshit you're not.

**Now every one got changed in different areas and jumped in after her except Kidd who flew down on his skate bored**

**"Nicole I can't go in there I'll get wet" Kidd said**

**"Comon Kidd" Nicole said**

**"NO" He yelled**

**"I didn't want to do this but…" Nicole said pushing Kidd into the water causing everyone to laugh but Kidd**

**"Follow me" Nicole said going to the edge of the cliff "Heres the caves " Nicole said going under water**

**Everyone follows**

**A screech is herd so they follow the sound soaked**

**They see a ton of pre- ketion eggs**

Maka: Oh, hey, the author got so lazy that she did the work for them! That has to be an accomplishment.

**"Lily?" Nicole questioned**

**"Right" She said transforming**

**"Soul" Maka whispered**

**"Right" he transforms**

**"Liz, Patty" Kidd said**

**They transform**

Crona: Wait, why are they transforming if the souls are already there ready for them?

Maka: Why do they bother transforming at all if we're not going to see a fight scene?

**Everyone looks at Black*star who's mouth is duck taped because of Crystal**

Crona: …do people actually make tape from ducks? That's just really mean…

**Tsubaski transformed**

**After fighting …**

**Everyone is on land with towels to keep them warm**

Maka: *sighs* Just once I'd like to be proven wrong here…

**Maka calls out**

**"hey lets hang out"**

**"Ya HOW ABOUT WE HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT AT OUR PLACE" Crystal said**

**"ok" Soul slurped**

**~later~**

**"ok we have terminator, Jurastic park, twilight witch I hate, -"**

Crona: Then why do you have it? It doesn't really make sense to own a movie if you hate it…

**Nicole gets cut off by black*star**

**"YES A NEW HATER"**

**"Why do you have it its not cool"**

**"CAUSE CRYSTAL LIKES IT"**

Crona: …oh.

**"Anyway we also have star wars thanks to Lily" Nicole said continueing on and on bunches of movies and they eventually decided on some but Nicole, Maka, and Kidd not really the movie type read while the movies played. Soon enough almost everyone fell asleep some in weird positions. Maka had her head on Soul's shoulder while Soul had his head on hers .**

Maka: Ugh…

**Black*star was sleeping with a goofy smile lied down on the ground while Tsubaski was sleeping next to him. Kidd was sleeping in a sitting position while Nicole had her head on his lap. Lily and Liz (NO THIS IS NOT LA LESBI MOMENT)**

Maka: Oddly specific denial…

**Were sleeping back to back while Crystal and Patty were taking pictures of everyone**

**~In the morning~**

**Kidd was the first to wake up. He looked around. He saw he was at Nicole's house. He looked down and saw Nicole sleeping. Then she woke up. Nicole sat up and saw Kidd awake staring at her. He looked away because he was blushing a little. Nicole turned away too knowing she was blushing.**

**"S-sorry" Nicole stuttered**

**"Its ok" He simply replayed**

**Nicole got up and dusted her jeans off, She looked around the house and looked at the clock**

**"Its 7:30 on a Saturday" Nicole said**

**"NO I-" Kidd almost yelled but Nicole covered his mouth**

**"Do you want to wake Black*star up" Nicole asked**

**"No… but I have to sleep till 8"**

Maka: *eyeroll* Oh brother…

**Nicole laughed "Kidd you reached a new level of insanity**

Maka: Oh, like _you_ can talk!

**why don't we just wake everyone else up at 8" Nicole said going over to a cupboard and taking out a pill**

**"YES" Kidd said**

**"Ok now… want to help make breakfast" Nicole said**

**"What are you making"**

**"French toast and bacon with eggs" Nicole said**

**Kidd just got up and waited for something to do**

Crona: …for something to do what? Catch on fire? Come to life? Declare itself master of the universe? …not necessarily in that order?

**~8:00~**

**Breakfast was ready just at 8 so Nicole told Kidd**

**"Lets wake them up"**

**They woke everyone up but Crystal who was still sleeping**

**Nicole and Lily sighed and got a blow horn**

**"What are you going to do with that" Maka asked**

**"What we do everyday" Lily said**

**"Plug your ears if you don't like loud sounds" Nicole said**

Crona: If I did that, my ears would've been covered every time you spoke…

**Lily went over to Crystal and used the blow horn**

**She blinked twice and said "ahhh morning everyone"**

**Everyone but Nicole Lily Crystal and Patty sweat drop**

**"Breakfast" Nicole said passing plates out everyone but Kidd started eating**

**"Nicole… I can't eat it… It's not arranged symmetrically enough" Kidd said**

**Nicole sighed took his plate and made it symmetrical**

**Kidd smiled and started to eat**

Maka: …30! 30 bucks if you can go without writing something pointless! I know you want it!

**After everyone was done earing they went to school**

Crona: …how does one "ear" something? Is it just using your ears in place of your hands…?

**"PWTTY" Crystal yelled**

**"CWISTAL"**

Crona: "Why are we speaking in baby talk?"

Maka: "I don't know!"

**"Wana see somin cool" Crystal asked**

**"YES" Patty yelled**

**Crystal took out a bug looking like creater (butter fly)**

Crona: …so why not just say that it's a butterfly?

Maka: Please stop including pointless words in your work, author!

**and a tiny remote and a screen and turned everything on then the two saw from the butter flys pov**

**"COOL um what is it" Patty said**

**"It's a spy camera watch" Crystal said and it started to flap its wings and fly**

**"HEHE Who to spy on" Patty giggled**

**They thought for a moment and both said "Mabey later"**

Maka: I'm willing to bet this doesn't actually become important later, despite every indication that it will.

**Stein rolled in on his chair Nicole and Kidd were looking away from each other. Tsubaski was calming Black*star down. Maka was reading and Soul was annoying her. Becca and and Clear were trying to annoy Nicole but were failing by a long run.**

Crona: Odd, they didn't seem to have much problem doing that before…

**~after class~**

**Maka, Lily and Nicole are shown waking to the library Nicole dragging Crystal**

**A few moments later Crystal is Nagging Nicole to come find excalaber with her**

Crona: …why?

Maka: Why not?

**"FINE IF IT GETS YOU TO SHUT UP" Nicole yells**

**"YEY" Crystal says and starts to pull Nicole who gets stopped by Kidd**

**"Hey where are you going"**

**"Crystal wants me to find the stupid holy sword with her so I'm going against my will to find it"**

**Nicole reaplys and Kidd put his excalaber face on**

Crona: What, his face somehow morphed into Excalibur's…?

Maka: *snerk* Pretty sure that wasn't what she meant…

***_* '_' . _ $_$ $.$**

**Me: Kidd wouldn't stop nagging me to write this chapter soooo I have an announcement to make**

**Nicole: Nicky4339 will be making a truth or dare fanfic (claps)**

Maka: Oh, yeah, because there aren't enough of those already…

**and yours truly will be in it (yes I add oc's to LOTS of fanfics)**

Maka: No, really? I couldn't tell at all!

**As will Lily and Crystal**

**Soul: Great a new person to torcher us not cool**

**Me: I'm not that evil ;) XD ^_^**

Maka: Suuuuuuuuure you're not…

**Me: SUP ALL**

**Excalibur: FOOL**

**Nicole: Crap me and Crystal have to meet this ummm ant eater?**

**Crystal: YAY Adventure XD**

**Kidd and Black*star: Nicole make sure Crystal doesn't come back with Excalibur**

**Me: Hehe maybe she will**

**Black*star: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**Me: OK let's do it**

**Patty: STUPID ALIEN DUDE HAHAHA**

Maka: Are you done? Are you done pretending you actually know us personally? …you sure? …OK.

**~With Nicole and Crystal~ (poor them)**

Crona: Poor us, you mean…

**"SO This is the cave" Nicole asked**

**"HELL YA IT IS" Crystal said starting to clime**

**Nicole followed and they both started walking in the cave**

**"OH A PWTTY FAIRY" Crystal yelled going over to it**

**"IS THIS THE WAY FOR EXCALABER" Crystal asked**

**It put on its Excalibur face and said "Yaaaaa" and left**

Maka: Oh, gee, I wonder if this is going to be _another_ blatant ripoff?

**~With The class~**

**"Does anyone know where Nicole and Crystal are" Stein asked**

**Kidd raised his hand "I met them on the way to the library Crystal is dragging Nicole to find the holy sword"**

**"THE holy sword" Stein said**

**"Yes" Kidd said as Black*star muttered "I hope Nicole stops Crystal from bringing that thing here"**

**Everyone was quiet**

Crona: …I just noticed something.

Maka: What?

Crona: There hasn't been any punctuation used, outside of the quotation marks.

Maka: …hey, you're right. How did we not notice that sooner?

Crona: Everything else…?

Maka: Good point.

**~Back with Nicole and Crystal~**

**"WERE HERE" Crystal yelled**

**"Wow the air is vibrating" Nicole said**

**Crystal pulled out the sword**

**"YAY I DID IT" Crystal said**

**"WELCOME YOUNGE ONES" The sword yelled transforming**

**"SO ….." Crystal started**

**"LAME" Nicole finished**

**"I know" Crystal said**

Maka: Yes, this fic _is_ incredibly lame. Agonizingly so, even.

**~With the class after~**

**"So Nicole and Crystal went to find excalaber this won't end well" Lily muttered**

**"Why" Patty asked**

**Lily jumped**

**"DID I SURPRISE YOU SWRRY" Patty said as Lily turned around to see Liz and Kidd with her**

**"Oh it's because it took a while for her to get used to Crystals clingy attitude Patty's childlike attitude for some reason was easy but Excalibur I've herd Is just annoying" Lily explained**

Maka: Why did you need to explain why she'd find _Excalibur_ annoying? It's Excalibur!

**~Now with Nicole and Crystal~**

**"Where are you from?"**

**"The dw-"**

**"My legend begins in the 12 century"**

**"You just asked us were we were fr-"Nicole started**

**"FOOL do you want to hear a heroic tale" Excalibur said pointing his cane at Nicole**

**"Not really" Crystal said as Nicole slapped the cane**

**"My mornings begin with a cup of coffee my afternoon's a cut of tea with 3 lumps of sugar and the evening"**

**"OH OH VODKA (look it up)**

Crona: …look what up? Even I know what vodka is…

**"Crystal yelled as Nicole again slapped the cane and looked at her sister**

**"How do you know what vodka is" Nicole asked**

**"FOOL I put on my pj's in the evening"**

**"I DON'T CARE" Nicole yelled slapping the cane out of her face**

**"What is your birth stone" Excalibur asked**

**"Huh diamond" Crystal said**

**"Emerald" Nicole said**

**"FOOL who gave you the right to say" Excalibur said**

**"GET THE FREAKING CANE OUT OF MY FACE" Nicole yelled "or there will be hell to pay"**

**"FOOL" He said**

**"What are you an ant eater" Nicole asked**

**"FOOL" It said**

**"THAT'S IT" Nicole said snatching the cane out of his hand and breaking it in half**

Maka: Oh, _now_ you've done it! Who knows what he's going to do to you now that you've-

**He got a new one and said**

Maka: …never mind.

**"If you want to be my mister there are one thousand previsions you must observe"**

**"AND NOW" He transformed**

**"FAME GLORY" He said but they already had put him back and left**

**"Did you meet Excalibur" A fairy asked.**

**They put on their Excalibur face and left**

**"Yep they met him"**

Maka: "Could've sworn this happened not too long ago…"

**Me: YA YA its short I know and sorry for that**

Crona: No, no, we don't mind that…at all…

**Kidd: She's not bring the holy sword is she**

**Nicole: HELL NO**

**Excalibur: FOOL**

**Nicole: Kicks him fare away**

**Every one sweat drops**

**Me: This is my shortest chapter yet but Excalibur annoys the HELL out of me and I didn't feel like hve tht to long sooo sowwy**

Maka: It's Excalibur. He's supposed to be annoying. I think that's actually his job.

/

Alrighty, that's another chunk done. Just two more to go…great.

And for those of you who might give a damn:

Next time! Find out who the other poor sap is that's going to be forced into a romance!

See you soon.


	19. Story 9: Deja View Part 3

OK, here's part 3. Moving right along.

/

**Me: Ok since last chapter was short I will try making this at least 1,500 words sooo ya**

Maka: Oh, joy. Aren't we just so lucky that you're willing to make this longer?

Crona: Not that that means she'll start putting effort into it or anything…

**"Hey we are having party at Nicole's house its Lily's Birthday" Liz said over the phone to Maka**

**"and the boys are coming only for the first part the secant is a girls only sleep over" Liz added**

Crona: …the "secant"?

Maka: Beats me.

**"cool I'll be there"**

**~ok im skipping to the secant part~**

Crona: Seriously, what's a "secant"…?

**"WHO WANT TO PLAY SING STAR POP" Crystal yelled**

Maka: Oh, here we go…

**Everyone agreed but Nicole who was out of of the room and 10 minutes later came in and was bothered by Crystal till she said yes to sing**

**"Crystal turn the song to **_**Resonance**_**" Nicole muttered**

**Crystal smile and said "You haven't sang in while " and turned it onto that song**

Crona: …why does that song title sound so familiar…?

**Nicole started to sing (Japanese)**

Maka: _Of course she did_.

**INSERT LYRICS TO FIRST OPENING OF SOUL EATER ANIME HERE**

Crona: Oh, that's why…

Maka: …really? Our theme song? Just…really author?

**Nicole paused while music played then started to sing again**

Crona: Please don't…

**INSERT TRANSLATED VERSION OF ABOVE SONG HERE**

Maka: …*facepalm* So, singing it once wasn't bad enough? You had to sing it in English too? Just…_why_?

**Then the music stopped and the screen showed this**

**Player: Nicole**

**Song: Residence**

**Points: 99,000**

**HIGH SCORE**

Maka: She hacked the game.

**Everyone looked at her and Nicole says**

**"I used to sing Crystal to sleep"**

Crona: She must not have got a lot of sleep…

**"Why" Maka asked**

**Lily tells them her past**

Maka: "Pity uuuuuuus!"

**"so whenever Crystal couldn't get to sleep because our mother hurt her to much I would sing her to sleep and I'll be right back" Nicole sys an evil glow on her eye as she goes outside to find Soul Black*star and Kidd Looking in her window where everyone is and she whispers while hidden "I'm gona kill you" to them and grabs there collors of there shirts and pulls them inside**

Maka: Schizophrenia. Fun for the whole family!

**"OW NICOLE THT WASN'T COOL" Soul yelled**

**"You have a good voice" Black*star said " But not as good as the GREAT BLACK*STAR HAHAHA"**

**"Right" Lily said**

**"What were you idiots thinking" Nicole Maka and Lily said**

**Nicole let the boys off the hook and they went home**

Maka: …OK, 40! I'll pay you 40 bucks to leave out anything that's completely pointless!

Crona: …you know, if you think about it, everything in this fic is pointless. I don't think we've even really established what the plot is.

Maka: …45, then?

**"Who wants to play truth or dare" Patty asked**

Maka: *groans* Oh, just great…

Crona: …I think I heard about this game here before…what exactly is it?

Maka: Just watch…

**All said yes and they began playing**

**"Mmm Lily truth or Dare" Tsubaski asked**

**"Truth" Lily said**

**"How many sisters or brothers do you have"**

**"My family adopted Nicole and Crystal so two umm Maka truth or dare"**

**"truth"**

**"Who do you like" Lily asked**

**Maka froze and mutter "Soul"**

Maka: *facepalm* Uuuuuuugh…

**"Aww you two would make a cute couple" Nicole said**

Crona: *twitch*

**"Tsubaski truth or dare"**

**"Truth please"**

**"Ok ummm do you think Black*star is annoying"**

**"Some times other times he's really nice Crystal truth or dare"**

**"DARE DARE HELL YA"**

**"Ok I dare you to I don't know"**

**" go ding dong ditch Kidd and ring the bell 7 times" Liz said "and record it on video"**

**"YAY OK" She said**

Crona: …so, you choose to either tell someone a secret about yourself, or do what they ask you to do?

Maka: That's the gist of it.

Crona: I-I won't have to play that game, w-will I?

Maka: Not if I can help it.

**~Crystal pov~**

**I sank into a shadow and atched my video camra in a tree facing the door then I went over and I turned into a shadow. I rang the bell 7 times and went into the ground. Kidd opened the door. He was muttering that it wasn't rang 7 times. He closed the door when he saw no one. Being me I tried it gin to piss him off this time he awnsered with a look of discust on his face. He looked mad the 3rd time so I stopped and took the camra home**

**~Later~**

Crona: …then again, that didn't seem so bad…

Maka: Trust me, knowing the people we hang out with, you'd probably have to deal with worse.

**"HERE" Crystal yelled s everyone watch the tape and crcked up the third time**

**"Okay my turn ummmm Nicole truth or dare"**

**"Im lazy so truth"**

Maka: Oh, yeah, totally not a self-insert.

**"Who do you like"**

**"I hate you for this" Nicole said "I like kiddo Don't tell"**

**"I wont" Crystal said**

**"ok liz truth or dare"**

**"DARE"**

**"Ok I dare you tooooooo " Liz gets her dare and now it's 10:00 in the morning**

Maka: …OK, what exactly was the point to this? You didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. You just meandered about some-…oh goddammit, author.

**"Hell we stayed up all night playing truth or dare" Nicole laughed**

**"Ya" Everyone laughed**

**They all go to school**

**Nicole looks at Kidd who is muttering something**

**"Kidd are you ok"**

**"NO some one ding dong ditched my house"**

**All the girls laughed**

**"Whats so funny"**

**"Crystal was the one doing that kiddo" Nicole said**

**"WHAT"**

**~One month later Lily pov"**

Crona: …does this person have any knowledge regarding the passage of time? She may as well just put "timeskip" with every jump…

**I've caught Nicole staring at Kidd a few times like right now**

**"Nicole" I whispered**

**"Huh" Nicole said**

**"Your doing it again" I whispered**

**"S-sorry" She said**

**I sighed she really liked him**

Both: _We know_.

**~later~**

**"Hey there is someone I want you to meet" Maka said**

**"Sweet" Nicole said as pink haired Boy? Stepped out**

Maka: *twitch*

Crona: …well, so much for thinking I was safe from this…

**"Hi" I said being friendly**

**"H-hi" He sounded nerves**

**"Im Lily" I said**

**"C-crona"**

**Then something popped out of his back**

**"Chrona you Brat Introduse me" It said**

**"T-this I-is Ragnornok" He said**

Maka: …where is he, anyway?

Crona: H-He's been in a really bad mood lately…I don't really know why, though…

Maka: …I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm actually starting to get worried…

Crona: Y-Yeah…me too…

**"Aw how cute" I said**

**"Are you good cook" Ragnornok asked**

**"Ya but I Cook Meals rather then deserts" I said**

**MAY NICOLE LILY DEATH THE KIDD LIZ AND PATTY COME TO THE DEATH ROOM**

Crona: Agh! What was that?

Maka: Some P.A. system, I'm guessing.

**That's when we went down**

**Me: OKAY A NEW PIARING YAY if you didn't catch it its Lily X Crona (MALE)**

Crona: …*head hits tray*

Maka: *hugs Crona* It'll be OK…if it's anything like the other so-called "romance" here, you won't actually see anything happen…

Crona: I-If I'm lucky…

**Crona: I don't know how to deal with that**

Crona: For once, my catchphrase was used properly…

**Lily: That's ok WAIT WHAT**

**Me: THAT'S RIGHT**

**Lily: I barely know him**

Maka: Exactly! For once, the Sue is right! …oh God, _the Sue is right_! What's going on here?

**Me: You will get to hehe**

Maka: …there is no curse in Elvish, Orcish or the tongues of men to describe how much I hate you right now.

**Lily:OH SHIT**

**Nicole: BYE BYE**

Maka: Yeah, you'd better run!

**Nicole, Kidd, Lily, Patty, and Liz were walking down the halls**

**"Waz up" Lord death said**

**"nothing " Lily said**

**"Ok I want you to go to inspect a cave down in south America " Lord death said like it was argent**

Crona: Wait, what? What's she doing there?

Maka: …who?

Crona: O-Oh, one of Raven's friends. Her name is Argent. …I don't really know much about her, actually…

**"ASAP now hurry"**

**"Dad wait why only me and Nicole And our weapons" Kidd asked**

**He sighed "There is re words on the cave and its translated ' no human may come in unless thet posses a power' humans have tried but failed so if Liz and Patty re in weapon forms they can get in with my son " he said then said "BYE" and left**

Maka: …well, that's pretty generic. Technically, any of us could go there since we possess some powers, to some degree.

Crona: …this is just for more "crappy romance", isn't it?

Maka: Yeeeeeeep.

**~TIME SKIP~**

Crona: Oh, hey, she listened to me.

**"ok I got food for about 5 days and sleeping bag and a bathing suit that's it" Nicole and lily Said together**

**"So in in we have food for 10 days 5 sleeping bags 5 bathing suits" Liz said**

**"YEP" Patty giggled**

**"ok lets go" Kidd said summoning his skate bored**

**Lily transform's and Nicole started to run followed by Kidd on his skate bored**

Crona: …wait, didn't we already do the whole "bathing suit" thing…?

Maka: Well, since it was _so_ good the first time around, we have to do it again, right?

**~at the cave~**

**"LETS GO" Patty said**

**Everyone entered and they went fr into the cave and ran / flew for long time Nicole looked at her watch and surroundings. It was 8:00 and they were in a cave room with a little water fall. With a pond.**

**"Its 8:00" Nicole said " Lets set up camp"**

Maka: Thanks for telling us what time it is. I forgot it after you mentioned it just a few seconds earlier.

**"ya" Lily agreed Transforming then Nicole realized how out of breath she was she sat down She gulped down some water then she set up her sleeping bag s did everyone but Kidd**

**"Kidd You ok" Nicole sked**

**"I cant sleep here"**

**"Let me guess no symmetry"**

**"YES"**

Maka: Yep, once a chapter. Just like you said.

Crona: I hate it when I'm right…I hate it a lot…

**After a lot of time Nicole finally conversed Kidd to sleep**

Crona: She talked him to sleep…?

Maka: Doesn't surprise me at all, actually.

**and they woke up the next day to repeat what just happened but at night**

_**LEAVE IT STORM**_

_**But you see little sis I cant you must die**_

**NO **_**girl shouts the younger version of lily yells protecting Nicole**_

_**Thanks Lily Nicole says but gets shocked**_

_**You arnt getting away**_

Maka: …the hell is going on?

**Nicoles eyes shoot open it was dream.**

Maka: Oh, right. Duh. Obvious dream sequence.

Crona: But…didn't it say that she was awake? Or did she go back to sleep…? I'm so confused right now…

**it was 8:00 am so she wakes every one up and they start walking It was pitch black so Nicole used her light powers to make it able to be seen and handed the ball of light was handed to Lily who was walking with liz and patty there was a fork in the path and Nicole and Kidd went one wy thinking nothing would happen and the weapons went the other Big mistake**

Maka: You mean like your conception?

**"I wonder were Nicole is" Maka sighed**

**"They went on a mission" Crystal said**

**"Really"**

**"Ya and I miss Nicky and Patty – chan" Crystal said**

Crona: …she didn't even warn us about this one with a break or anything…

Maka: …50! I will pay you 50 bucks to edit out the pointless parts of your work! This is a bargain!

**"Grrr" Nicole growled at the doors that blocked the way out. Now that she looked closly at the cave she relized it was a temple.**

**"Its no use Nicole we hae to wlk our way out of here"**

**"GRR fine" She gave up and started to walk**

**"Nicole why are your ankles and wrist glowing" Kidd asked**

**"It happens to elementist there wrist and ankles glow the color of there element but mines hard to see in day"**

Crona: So, these "elementists" are a separate species now…?

Maka: Sure, why not? May as well give the Sues more excuses to be disproportionately overpowered.

**"oh ok"**

**"So what do shagaime's have that humans don't"**

**"Some times our eyes glow in the dark" He said**

**"The stupid lines in our hair rings in our eyes we can use soul protect to keep human souls safe and many more things "**

Maka: "Hmm, since Kid's the only Shinigami we've seen the whole series, that must mean all of them are just like him!" *facepalm* _Think, will you_?

**"aww I like the lines in your hair " Nicole said**

**"So you came" A girls voice chilled the air**

**"OH SHIT" Yelled Nicole**

**"let me guess your sister" Kidd asked**

**"Yep" Nicole growled her hair turning white and her nails growing**

Crona: *shudder* N-Not again…

**'She's transforming ' he thought but when she was done she said "Kidd lets kick her ass"**

**He smirked "right but how"**

**" You can use your shagaime fighting powers ill use my light sword"**

**"Fine by me"**

**"Light sword" Nicole says a sword of light**

**"hey Kiddo before we fight I want to point out her hair lookit has high lights in random places" Nicole**

**Said then attacked**

**Kidd followed and they thought they deafeated her when a red soul appered and Nicole ate it but it was just the beginning for this opponent**

Crona: …wow, we didn't even get her name this time…

Maka: Um…how could it be "just the beginning"? What, can she recover from having her soul eaten? …on second thought, don't answer that.

**Nicole goes back to normal**

**"So does this mean you mastered demonic form" Kidd asked**

**"Sadly no" Nicole said as they started to walk**

Maka: I'd comment on how she seemed perfectly fine, but considering _we didn't see anything_…

**Nicole stared at Kidd for a while then looked up and sighed "wonder how long it wil be till we are out of here" Nicole said as they entered a new room witch made Kidd fall to his knees**

**"Damn this room is to asymmetrical " Kidd said**

Maka: …I'm not even going to bother this time.

**Nicole sighed and dropped to her knees**

**"Come on Kidd lets go cause if you don't I WILL let yang take over my body"**

**Kidd jumped up**

**"Good boy" Nicole said like he was a dog and patted his head**

Maka: This is your future girlfriend, Kid. Abandon all hope.

**"Don't do that" Kidd Begged**

**"Fine" Nicole said stopping**

**"NICOOOLLEEEE KIDDDDOOOO" Patty yelled**

**"PATTY OVER HERE" Nicole yelled**

**They met up and got out of the cave**

**One week later…**

Crona: Insert timeskip here, in other words…

**"So what to do now" Crystal said**

**"YO Blindy her friends" Clear shouted**

**"ZIP IT" Nicole snapped**

Maka: "Well fine, I won't apologize for being a bitch. Have it your way."

**"THE GREAT BLACK*STAR THINKS WE SHOULD GO EAT"**

**"Wait for Maka Soul and Crona" Lily said**

**"I dont know how to deal with new people"**

**"Hi Crona Maka soul" Lily said**

**"Sup Lily" Soul said**

**"H-hi L-lily" Crona said**

Crona: Don't talk to the Sue, stop talking to the Sue, please, please, please stop talking to the Sue…

**"Hi everyone" Maka said as they all go out to lunch**

**"So did you here the eve party is next Saturday" Soul said**

**"Really cool" Nicole said**

Crona: The what party…?

Maka: "Eve" party? Eve of what? …what, you're actually keeping track of the time and it's Christmas Eve?

**"Hey Nicole Lily Crystal we are going shopping for dresses want to come" Tsubaski asked**

**"Yes" All three said**

Maka: Oh, gee, Truth or Dare and clothes shopping? Aren't we just the luckiest people ever?

**They go to death city stores Nicole looks through racks and saw a strapless white dress with a black x and lines on the X bottom and top and it went down to her knees she got that with white flats**

**Lily got a pure black dress that went down to her ankles and hung off her arms she got black high heels and a chocker**

**Crystal got a grey dress (SHOCKER) that was strapless went just above her knees she also got a dark grey cover up with buttons and flats**

Maka: Blah blah blah description description we really don't care!

**"I Think Crystal likes Grey a little to much" Maka said**

**"Ya SHE DOES" Lily yelled**

Maka: To reiterate: _We don't care_!

**After a day of finding make-up close (to Nicole and Lily's disliking) and shoes (Again disliking) so they go home**

Crona: They're not the only ones disliking this…

**"so 5 more days left till eve's party" Nicole muttered**

Crona: Eve was a person? …who's Eve?

**"SO WHATS SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT" Crystal yelled**

**"Nothing" Nicole said**

Maka: …hey, if you can't think of a reason to care, why should we?

**~Ok skipping to Friday~**

Crona: …why do I have this sudden urge to cause serious harm to pre-teens?

**"NICOLE WAKE UP" Crystal yells**

**Nicole's eyes shot open "UGGG WORST DREAM EVER"**

**"What"**

**"I dreamt that a grey haired girl was bouncing on me to wake me up now GET OFF"**

**"Ya ya"**

Maka: Subtle.

**They started walking to school and Nicole was quiet**

**"Hey Crystal I wasn't lieing when I said I had a bad dream"**

**"really what about"**

**Nicole explains**

**"Thank god it was just a dream" Crystal sighed**

Maka: "And thank God you actually explained what it was! It'd be _so_ annoying if you just said you explained it rather than actually explaining it!"

**"But whenever I have a nightmare they come a day later" Nicole sighed out**

**"Wait tomarows the eve party meaning"**

**"Shit" They both said**

Maka: So you're saying the party means shit? Well, at least you got that much right…

**~at school~**

**"So where is Lily" Liz asked**

**"Library" Nicole whispered**

**"Nicole what's wrong" Patty asked**

**Nicole and Lily looked at each other and she said "Nothing"**

Maka: …OK, you wanna play hard ball? 100 dollars for you to stop including useless asides in your writing. Come on, I'm practically throwing money away here!

**~ok again skip to the next day~**

**Nicole arrived at the party wearing her new dress and white eye shadow**

**Lily came in her black dress and black lipstick and eye shadow**

**Crystal came in her dress and grey eye shadow and lipstick**

**The SE gang wore what they did last year**

Maka: …is it possible to win awards for laziness? Because I think this person would be the grand champion, no doubt.

**"HI GUY" Lily waved**

Crona: Who's Guy? …d-don't tell me…

**"Hello we are the last to come arnt we" Crystal said**

**"Yes but that's no problem" Liz said**

Crona: …oh, she meant to say "guys". *sigh of relief*

**"Is Nicole ok" Patty asked and everyone looked at her she was deep in thought looking at the ground**

**"Nicole you ok" Liz asked**

**"Ya just fine" Nicole lied**

_**She's hiding something**_** Kidd thought**

Maka: What, again?

**"Hey everyone I'm going to eat till I puke" Black*star said**

**"How… Manly" Nicole Tsubaski and Kidd said at once**

**Kidd did his speech witch lack*star interrupted AGAIN**

Both: *facepalm*

Crona: I thought we were done with the blatant ripoffs…

**Maka was laughing cause Kidd was doing the 90 degree dance again Nicole walked over and saw Liz who mouthed 'HELP ME' Nicole grabbed Kidd and said "Come on Kidd"**

**"W-what" He was surprised**

**Liz mouthed a 'thanks'**

**Nicole smiled and mouthed 'Welcome'**

Maka: Wow, who knew the blind girl could read lips?

**Crystal looked at Clear and Becca**

**Clear whore a pink dress that hit the ground while Becca whore a pink dress that went down to her knees**

Maka: Fascinating. Now watch as we never make mention of them again for the rest of the chapter.

Crona: …I didn't think you'd want to read ahead in this story.

Maka: I was hoping to find something remotely interesting. No luck.

**Nicole and Kidd where on the balcony**

**"Hey Nicole do you dance" Kidd asked**

**Nicole had dark lines on her head "I never learned"**

Crona: …is this another side effect of her powers or something?

Maka: No…if my guess is right, and it probably is, it's that stupid effect that shows up in most animes.

**"I should have known that" Kidd said**

**Nicole looked up "You know it really is a nice sight at night here"**

**"… ya" Kidd said**

Crona: "By the way, I thought you were blind?"

**A slow dance comes on**

**"Hey Kid will you teach me how to dance" Nicole asked Kidd seemed startled by the question but excepted**

**"So tell me more about the yin yang thing" Kidd said while dancing**

**"Huh oh that" Nicole said " Well Curses from witches will were off of me and Lily" Nicole said**

**"and" Kidd said**

**"Well I told you a lot of information already there isn't a lot to tell" Nicole lied**

Maka: Oh no, just enough to fill up most of the dialogue in every chapter we've read up 'till now. Yeah, not a lot to tell my ass!

**"Oh ok" Kidd said as they danced**

**"Hey kidd" Nicole said after a long period of silence**

**"Yes"**

**"Can I tell you something"**

**"What is it"**

**She paused "I lo-" She was cut off by a crash and Lily came over to her**

Maka: Oh, yes, please, drag this out for another fifteen chapters, why don't you?

**"She's here" She whispered**

**"Sorry Kidd I have to go I'll tell you later" Nicole said Running off**

**"What was that about" Kidd said out loud**

**Liz went over "Hey do you know why Nicole Crystal and Lily went running out"**

**"No but lets follow" He said " Go get Everyone"**

**~With my Oc's~**

Maka: So, basically, like every other waking moment in this fic?

**"So she came" Lily said**

**"Ya" Nicole reaplied as the smoke cleared a figure showed**

**"whoo snow owl owls" It chanted**

**" the snow owl Witch Shara (Sea-air-ah)" Crystal said**

Crona: …if you want us to pronounce it a certain way, maybe you should spell the name in a way that makes us think to do that.

**The soul eater gang (now dressed like normal as is Nicole Lily and Crystal) Came running over**

**"AGAIN" They yelled**

**"WHAT THE HELL YOU GUYS" Nicole yelled "You shouldn't be here"**

Maka: "Seriously, it's like you guys think you're the main characters or something!"

**"Awww Nicoooole Crystal its been sooo looooong" Shara hooted the o's**

Crona: …that just sounds silly…

**"Shut up witch" Nicole said Lily Transformed as did the other weapons**

**"Nicole who is this" Maka whispered**

**"This is the girl that put a curse on my family" Nicole whispered "She is the reason almost all my family hates me"**

**"She is witch shara" Crystal said**

**"SNOW CREST" The witch shouted an icical appearing Everyone seprerated**

**"Frost touch" The witch said**

**It hit Nicole and she was attacked by a snow owl causing many little scratches on her body Nicole screeched**

**"whats wrong" Black*star yelled**

**"T-the claws of t-that thing h-have p-poison in i–in i-it" Nicole said**

Maka: Oh, great, we get to see her suddenly reveal that she has magical healing powers now, don't we?

**"Nice joooob little girl but the poooisooon is fast acting sooo it stings like hell right away" Shara said**

**Lily went human "Full yang form" Lily whispered "go" Lily glowed and transformed into a wolf but the wolf had 2 tails razor sharp teeth black eyes white markings on the sides that were circles and it was as big as a human**

**"T-that's F-full yin form" Black*star looked scared**

Crona: Um…we established that already Black*Star, thank you…

Maka: Maybe that was supposed to be a question?

Crona: …that lack of punctuation is really starting to become a pain now…

**"Help Nicole" Lily growled**

**"My work is done" The witch said then left**

**Lily went human "Lets get her to the informery" Lily said "Poison is one of the few things that stay in a yin or yang long enough to kill him or her" Lily said**

Maka: Oh, never mind. She's gonna die anyway. …wait, she's gonna die anyway? WOOHOO!

**00000000000000000000000000**

**YAY YAY CHAPTER DONE Oh BTW TRUTH OR DARE IS OUT CHECK IT OUT**

Maka: Oh, yeah, we'd definitely want to read more failed attempts of playing a game we don't want to watch anyway!

**.com/albums/x445/Nicky_Murphy/soul%20eater%20Ocs/ I made pictures of my oc's I WAS BORED**

Crona: Doing anything because of boredom is pretty much just asking for failure…

**Nicole was passed out in a bed in the nurses room Kidd Liz Patty Lily and Crystal where there too**

**"So how long does poison last in Yins and Yang's" Asked Crystal**

**"5 days but those 5 days will be the hell of her life" Lily said**

**"What do you mean" Liz asked**

**"When poison gets inside me or Nicole's system it takes 10x the humans pain does shes strong but this will be fettle to her" Lily said sadly "She will pull through I hope" She muttered getting up with Crystal**

Maka: Oh, of course! So instead of magically healing without any trouble at all, she gets to suffer needlessly to create more drama! One end of the spectrum to the other! _Just great_!

**"Don't stay here to long" Crystal said**

**They leave**

**"Don't worry Kidd you heard Lily, Nicole is strong" Liz patted his back**

**"Ya I know" Kidd said getting up "Come on lets go home and come back tomarow"**

**"Right" Patty said**

Crona: I thought the love interest was supposed to stay there anyway…?

Maka: Maybe Kid's trying to get out while he still can?

Crona: Can't blame him…

**The next day every ones there**

**Nicole's eyes shot open and Lily helps her move up**

**"God I hate that witch" Nicole muttered**

**"Who was she" Asked Patty**

**"She was the witch that put a curse on my family. She caused my mom to make my sisters start eating souls kill my brothers, and torture me. The curse had no effect on me because I am a yang and Crystal well she wasn't born yet"**

Crona: _There were even more of them_?

Maka: Crona, it's OK! They were all killed off-screen!

Crona: E-Even s-so…m-m-more OCs…d-don't want to th-think about it…

**Nicole explained suddenly shocked by the pain of poison**

Maka: …wow, that's clearly showing the amount of pain she must be going through. That's just so descriptive that I feel as if I'm experiencing that pain too!

**"I have an idea Lily Doesn't Nicole have a little bit of yin in her" Crystal said**

**"Um ya just like how I have a little bit of yang in me why"**

**"Well can't you take some of the poison out by adding a little bit of yin in her"**

**"Its worth a try" Nicole said**

**"What is" Maka asked**

**"Im ready when you are Lily" Nicole held out her hand**

**"Everyone please get out of the room for a little" Lily asked**

**"YAHOO I WILL DO AS YOU ASK" Black*star said and everyone left**

**Lily grabs Nicole's hand and a black light surrounds them Nicole's hair gains dark hot pink high lights and hers eye's go black**

Maka: …so are you going to do the magical healing or the needless torture? Pick one already!

**"Ok you can come back in " Lily calls as Nicole closes her eyes**

**"THE GREAT I HAS- Nicole your hair!" Black*star exclaimed**

**Nicole opened her eye's "What about it"**

**"AHH YOU HAVE BLACK EYES" A startled Black*star said startled and everyone came in**

**"Nicole what happened" Maka asked**

**Nicole sighed "To get rid of poison I have to get a little more yang in my body than usual. When there is more yin in my body it changes what I look like for 3 days or so"**

**"I still think your eyes look weird with black eyes" Black*star commented**

**"Dude not cool"**

**Then Maka, Kidd, Tsubaski, and Liz walked in with Patty skipping saying something about ducks. They saw Nicole's eyes and hair so she explained everything**

**Then a pink haired boy walked in " H-H-Hi Nicole maka t-t-told me you were hurt s-s-so I came t-t-to see you" He sounded nervose**

**"Thanks Crona " Nicole said**

Maka: And by that, he means I asked him to come in and help me smother you with a pillow.

Crona: That sounds like a better idea…

**~Later~**

**Nicole fell asleep and the only people left in the room were Lily, Crona, and Kidd. Soul and Maka left for a mission. Black*star wanted to train. Patty and Crystal wanted to play so Liz went to watch them.**

**Nicole woke up again. Only a little green returned to her eyes. She looked over to her right. She saw Kidd sleeping in a chair as was Lily . Crona walked over**

**"S-so y-your awake? G-good."**

**"Crona go to your home and get some sleep" Nicole smiled " You don't want to be tired in class"**

**"O-ok" He said "b-bye" He left**

Maka: See? You just show up and say a few lines, and then you're gone. Nothing to worry about!

Crona: I-It won't last…I'll be in this as much as Kid before long…

**Lily was the next to stir " Sup Nicole"**

**"Bored" Nicole commented**

**"Should I run home and get a book or two for you"**

**"Tomarrow." She said and her phone got a text from the chat**

Maka: _FUCK_. I thought we were past this!

**Liz: Hey is Kidd still there**

**Nicole: Ya why**

**Patty: Tell him we went home**

**Nicole: And Crystal?**

**Liz: At your house**

**Lily: ….**

**Nicole: …**

**Nicole and Lily: SHIT**

**Lily runs home**

Maka: Wait, wait, wait. How are you chatting with multiple people on the phone? It's not like a chatroom, you have to send the texts individually! That's not how that technology works, dammit!

**"Huh what was that about" Kid asked being woken up**

**"Crystal's at our house alone she is a little bit of a mess maker" Nicole said**

Maka: Never would've guessed…

**"Oh ok" Kid got up**

**"Oh by the way Liz and Patty went home" Nicole told Kidd**

**"Ok I think I'll go meet up with them" Kidd said "Bye Nicole"**

**"Bye kiddo"**

**Kidd leaves**

**Nicole got out her cell**

**Nicole: AYE LIZ KIDD-KUN IS COMING HOME NOW**

**5 sec. later…..**

**Liz: Good**

**They talk for a LONG time and Lily joins in**

Crona: These chapters probably wouldn't be so long if not for all of the long chat segments…

Maka: These chapters wouldn't be so long if not for a lot of things…

**Lily: Hi PEPS**

**Nicole: Hey I never told you witch books to bring**

**Lily: Oh Witch do you want**

**Nicole sends a pm**

**Lily: Ok**

**Liz: ? OH MOTHER F'ER**

**Nicole and Lily: What**

**Liz: Its 10:00 at night Kidd is going to be Pissed off on my texting bill**

**Nicole: We have unlimeted texting**

**Lily: I joined at 6:00**

Maka: Will you get your technology right, dammit? We don't even use cell phones and even I know that's not how they work!

**Nicole: THAT MAKES 5 HOURS OF TEXTTING LOL**

**Liz: I'm Gona hang with Nicole for a while**

**Nicole: ? Why ?**

**Liz: He's less likely to get mad around you**

**Nicole: But bills come in two days XP**

**Liz: SHIT**

**Nicole: XD Sowwy**

**Lily: XD How can someone not like hanging out with this group**

Crona: That's not an excuse for this fic or all of the fics like this…

**Patty: Sis Kidd wants you**

**Nicole: Im going to bed**

**Kidd: LIZ IM GOING TO KILL YOU**

**Liz: IM OUT**

Maka: "Of alcohol! And there's no way I can make it through the rest of this without some!"

**The next day…..**

**Nicole was reading a book and she saw someone come in**

Maka: …OK, you know what? If you're going to completely ignore the whole blind thing, fine. We will too.

**"Oh hi Crona"**

**"H-H-hi Nicole i-is Lily h-here" Crona asked**

**"No she came by earlier" Nicole say's grabbing a pen and paper then writing something down "But if you need her she will be at our house here this is the address go here" Nicole gave Crona the paper**

**"T-thank you" Crona said "Bye"**

**"Bye Crona"**

**He leaves and Nicole Gets out of bed.**

Maka: …OK, so maybe it'll happen more than once per chapter! That doesn't mean anything will actually happen!

Crona: …do you actually believe that?

Maka: …*forced grin*

**She is shown wearing her white tank top and silky white pants as usual. Her jacket is hanging besides her bed. She looked out the window and sighed.**

**DING DOND DEAD DONG**

**Kidd was the first to come in**

**Nicole looked up from her book her now Very dark green-black eyes blinked "Hey kidd-kun what's up"**

**""Nothing much" Kidd simply reaplied**

**Nicole blinked " I can read you like a book" she held up her book "Now what's wrong"**

**"BLACK*STAR BROKE A SPIKE AGAIN" Kidd complained**

Maka: *double facepalm* Please…for the love of God, _try_. Try to make something original. Anything. And no, the OCs don't count.

**"THAT'S THE BIG THUD I HERD EAIRLIER "**

**"Ya"**

**"I'm guessing you beat him again"**

**"Ya"**

**"He should learn that's the 4th time" Nicole sighed as Lily, Maka, Lily, Liz, Patty, and surprisingly Crona entered followed by Soul Black*star and a concerned Tsubaski**

Crona: If by that, you mean you're surprised I came back, then you're not alone…

**"Hi everyone" Nicole got up "The nurse told me I could go out tomorrow" Nicole sighed happily**

**"GUESS WHAT" Patty said**

**"What" Nicole said**

**"the highlights in your hair are gone" Patty said happily**

**"OH I know that" Nicole said**

**They talk for an hour and everyone leaves but Kidd, Crona, and Maka everyone else went to play basketball.**

Crona: *yawns*

Maka: …you sure you've been getting enough sleep, Crona?

Crona: Y-Yes…

**"So what sports do you play" Maka asked**

**"Soccer, swimming, just a little basketball, and tenise"**

Maka: …really, Crona, how can you be tired while reading this _riveting_ dialogue?

**Nicole said then said as she sighed " Thank god I can leave tomorrow"**

**"Ya" They all agreed**

**"well we have to go" Maka said dragging Kidd out and Crona follows**

**"Oh well" Nicole said reading**

Maka: You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You're trying to kill us through boredom with all of these pointless bits of dialogue, aren't you?

**~Then next morning~**

**"Anyone miss me" Nicole sad as she walked into the class**

**"NICKY-CHAN" Patty says with Crystal both tackling her then hugging her**

**"Nicole" Everyone else said**

**"Ok class today we will be dissecting a Grey wolf" Stein said as her entered the class with a cage "oh Nicole welcome back"**

**"HEY STEIN WHY ARE YOU DISSECTING A WOLF" Lily sounded mad. Now that everyone realized the 3 girls Nicole, Lily, and Crystal had pissed looks on there faces**

**" Nicole Lily Crystal what's wrong " Crona asked without stuttering**

**"HE WANTS TO DISSECT A FREAKIN WOLF" Lily screeched**

**"What's her problem" Liz asked**

**"if you forgotten Lily mine and Crystals forms are wolves for the yin yang sprite" Nicole said a growl in her voice " And the grey wolf is endangered so…"**

**"He's insane you cant change his mind" Maka said**

Maka: …so, when he was dissecting possibly endangered tigers, you didn't have a problem, but because you're associated with wolves, you raise an objection? Yeah, you guys are clearly the kind, decent people everyone views you as.

**~after class~**

**"I HATE STEIN HATE HATE HATE" Lily yelled**

**"Hey Lily where's Nicole, no wait where is everyone" Kidd asked**

**"Well Maka and Soul are on a mission witch you SHOULD know.**

Crona: …Maka, the Sues need to stop making sense…I-I'm getting scared…

**Black*star and Tsubaski are Shopping with Liz and Patty as is Crystal " Lily muttered**

**"How did that happen" Kidd asked**

**"They said he can say how he will suppress god while they were there and that Tsubaski would get him as much food as he wanted" Lily said**

**"Nicole and Crona" Kidd asked**

**"Well Crona will be hanging out with me since Maka is gone." Lily said**

Crona: *shudders* Don't want to go near the Sue, don't want her to take me to her cottage, don't want her dog to come after me…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**"And Nicole" Kidd asked**

**"Library" Lily said**

**"Ok thanks" Kidd said walking to the library**

**Nicole is reading a book**

**"Hey what are you doing" Kidd asked**

**"WHAT THE HELL KIDD WHEN DID YOU GET HERE" Nicole shouted**

**"Hey this is a library you know" Kidd said joking**

**"Right sorry I just surprised or angry more easily with out my adhd pill" Nicole said**

Maka: Then someone just needs to start following you around with a tranquilizer gun. I'd be happy to volunteer!

**Kidd sat next to her in a chair. "so what are you reading"**

**"A book for Steins class" Nicole said closing it**

**"Oh the report what are you writing about" Kidd asked**

**She hands him the book "Soul wave length, you? Or do I have to ask"**

**"Symmetry of course but" He got a disappointed look on his face "I cant get the 'K' right" Kidd Said sadly**

**Nicole laughed a little and took out her laptop " Let me show you a trick" She said as he looked over and she typed his name at the top**

**She showed him the typed name "See symmetrical" She said**

**"YOUR RIGHT" Kidd said looking at it**

Crona: …I'm starting to wonder something.

Maka: What?

Crona: Suppose a side effect of being near a Sue is that your own intelligence gets lowered, therefore making them look incredibly smart by comparison?

Maka: …that's actually a good theory! Nice job, Crona!

Crona: *blushes* Th-Thank you…

**"So why not type it" Nicole said**

**"I never thought of that" Kidd said Nicole smiled then asked "Nicole at gthe eve party what were you going to say to me**

**Nicole looked away to hide a light ping blush " I was going to say" She paused "I l-" She got cut off by a yell**

**"I THE GREAT BLACK*STAR IS BACK FROM SHOPPING"**

Maka: …you're going to do this every time, aren't you?

**"Nicole tell me later" Kidd said Nicole Nodded and Black*star walked over "Hello are you two on a date"**

**Nicole got a pissed off look and blushed dark red. Kidd just has a little red on his face.**

**"Black*star… NICOLE KICK" Nicole said**

**"Ow" Black*star flew into a pile of books**

**"YOU KNOW SURE AS HELL ME AND KIDD AREN'T DATING" Nicole yelled as Kidd tapped her shoulder**

**"What the hell Nicole why did you get angry that easly"**

**"I HAVENT TOOK A FREAKIN ADHD PILL IN TWO DAYS"**

Crona: Then how do you explain all of the other times you randomly attacked someone…?

**Nicole yells and Lily and Crona are shown running in**

**"I don't know how to deal with loud noises" Crona says**

Crona: For once, you're right…I get enough of that from Ragnarok…

**Lily cups Nicole's mouth and pulls her out of the room and Kidd meets up with his weapons**

**"why was Nicky-chan all yelling and stuff"**

**"She hasn't taken ADHD Pills in two days Patty" Kidd explains**

Crona: "Just in case you didn't hear her scream that just now."

**"OH That's why she got mad hahaha"**

**"patty it isn't funny" Liz commented**

**Nicole walks over to Black*star "Sorry for snapping at you"**

**"A GOD LIKE ME FORGIVES YOU"**

**Tsubaski gives her 'sorry' look Nicole thumbs up**

Crona: It's really something how everyone can give such specific looks…

Maka: And even more so that everyone can easily read them.

**~later~**

**"So what now" Lily asked. Everyone was at her house cause Maka wasn't here. Black*star was really pissing Nicole off. I don't know how. Most likely talking about her past**

**"Black*star SHUT THE FREAKIN HELL UP JACK ASS"**

**Nicole runs away**

Maka: What, that time of day already?

**"Yo Kidd go get her" Lily says**

**"Why is it always me" Kidd asked**

**"Because everyone else is to lazy too and Maka isn't here"**

Maka: Hey, I wouldn't go either! What makes you think I'd care enough to?

**Liz pushes Kidd out "There is another reason right"**

**"ya but you know it"**

**"L-lily what is the r-reason" Crona asked**

**"Well Nicole Likes Kidd and Kidd likes her but nether will tell and I think Nicole has been trying to tell him but she's been having to many interruptions"**

Crona: "Thank you for the recap…can you let me go now?"

**~with Nicole and Kidd~**

**"Damn Black*star I hate him" Nicole muttered**

**Nicole sits down and looks at her reflection for a LONG time**

Maka: Wow, it must've been if you put it in all-caps like that.

**"Hey Nicole are you ok" Kidd asked**

**"AHH" She turns really fast and nearly punches him "oh Kidd-kun its just you"**

**He sits next to her "You never answered my question"**

**"Huh I'm fine"**

**"Ok then I have a new question"**

**"Hmm" Nicole asked**

**"What have you been trying to tell me" Kidd asked**

**Nicole froze a blush appering on her face "I have been trying to say that I love you Kidd-kun."**

**Kidd's face grew dark red "I-I Love you too Nicole"**

Crona: "Even though it's never been really explained why."

**Nicole smiled "Good then I could do this" She kissed one of his cheeks**

**Nicole jumped up and Kidd started to chase her**

**"NICOLE YOU HAVE TO KISS BOTH CHEEKS FOR SYMMETRY" Kidd yelled**

**"CATCH ME FIRST"**

**He got on his skateboard and flew after her and after an hour of running in circles he finally caught up yo her**

Maka: Oh buh-rother.

**"Ok you caught me" She kissed his other cheek**

**"we should head back" Kidd said**

**" Ya" She smiled and started to run and Kidd followed on his hover board**

**H1234567887654321H**

Maka: …you know, Kid made it pretty clear when he was here that you're not going to win him over with your attempts at making symmetrical things. So why do you keep trying?

**Ok how did you like it? I'm trying to type fast but I updated.**

**Nicole: FINALLY**

**Lily: Still hasn't taken her pill**

**Me: Ok sorry if I every make anyone out of character BYE BYE**

Crona: I'm sure Black*Star in particular would like a word with you…

**Me: XD ok nothing to say but to get on with the story**

Maka: For once, we're on the same page. Get on with it!

**88888888**

**Nicole and Kidd got to her apartment and to their surprise Maka and Soul was there**

**"So the gangs back together" Crystal said**

**Nicole nodded and took Lily in the kitchen "Let's see if any of the girls wana sleep over"**

**"Ok why not"**

**So the guys leave and Nicole smiles**

**"Nicole sure is happy today" Liz says**

Maka: "I can tell this from the fact that she smiled!"

Crona: …that would say something about her character, except it would probably be inaccurate.

**NICOLE WHY ARE YOU SO HAPPY" Patty yells**

**She smiles**

**"You told him didn't you" Lily asked**

**Nicole nods with smile on her face**

**"SO Are you two dating now" Crystal asked teasing Nicole**

**"Might be" She simply replied**

Maka: "After all, we only declared our love for each other. We have to take it slow!"

**"WHO LIKES DISSERT'S" Lily yelled after they ate**

**"Depends what do you have" Liz said**

**"Umm Strawberry's, Raspberry's, BlackBerrys, Banana's, Apples, Chocolate , Marsh mellows, Gram crackers, and Blueberry's ….. that's it"**

**"You have lot sa fruits" Patty giggled**

**"YA well we have more stuff but its dinner stuff or nonedible" Lily explained**

Crona: …so why bring it up?

**"Oh" Maka asked and Nicole Grinned**

**"give me 45 minutes and I can turn all these fruits into desserts" Nicole smiled**

**Ok 45 minutes later …**

**Nicole comes out with a thing with melted chocolate, sticks, and lots of fruit and a thing of sugar.**

**"Nicole whats that" Crystal asked as Nicole handed everyone 2 sticks. Lily smirks and lights a fire place.**

**"You can use it to dip the fruit into chocolate" Nicole said smiling and handing paper plates to everyone "and the secant is to rost marsh mellows" everyone saw where she was going and Nicole grabbed a hand full of Blackberries and putting sugar on half of them ****(1)**

Maka: Oh, we are _not_ doing the footnotes thing again!

Crona: And there's that word again…wait, it's supposed to be "secret"?

**"Nicky-chan is that good" Patty asked**

**"Yep try one" Nicole said handing a sugar coated black berry to patty who after eating it asked for more.**

**They spent the rest of the night talking, watching movies( or in Nicole and Maka's case reading) and having a pillow fight then they all feel asleep.**

**~the next day~**

**"Morning morning" Patty giggled getting everyone up so they got ready for school**

**~At school~**

Maka: …OK. Name your price. What will it take to get you to actually edit your work?

**Everyone sat down in their usual spots.**

**"ok class today we will be-" Stein started**

**"NO NOT DISSECTING" Screamed Crystal who got odd looks from everyone "WHAT WE DISSECT EVERY FREAKIN DAY IM NOT GOING TO DISSECT" She shouted**

**"I was going to say fight practice" he said**

**"Oh ok" Crystal calmed down making everyone sweat drop**

**~after class~**

Maka: I'm serious! I'm willing to pay whatever you ask! I've got a ton saved up in my bank account! I can make it up again! What will it take?

**"Ugg To be truth-full I would have rather dissected then battle Ox" Lily said**

**"Hehe" Crystal giggled**

**"Crystal you ok?" Nicole asked causing everyone to look at her**

Crona: …I don't see how she's acting any different. Or is it because she's not speaking in all caps?

**"HAHA" Crystal let out a laugh**

**Lily and Nicole looked at each other and Nicole grabbed Crystal by the ear and took her into the forest. She was followed by Kidd who was followed by his weapons witch were followed by Crona whome was followed be Maka who got followed by soul and you know where this is going!**

Maka: If we can supposedly see where this is going, why are you making note of it?

**"Crystal why are you acting weird" Nicole asked**

**"Hehe haha Who is Crystal"**

**Nicole and Lily sigh Nicole goes over to Crystal**

**"Her necklace its gone" Nicole sighed**

**"OH GREAT SHIT" Lily yelled**

Maka: *snerk* "Great shit". I'll have to remember that…

**"Hehehe" Crystal swayed back and forth. Then she glowed. Half of her had white hair the other Black. Same with her outfit witch was now a silky tank top and shorts with flip flops**

**"So her form has come out" Nicole said**

**"Ya she isn't even fighting it"**

**Patty came out and gave the necklace to Nicole**

**"Really Patty?" Nicole walked over to Crystal and right before she put on the necklace a flash of black and white light came and then she was back to normal but passed out in Nicole's arms. Nicole held her marriage style. Nicole dropped to her knee's and started to cry. Liz, Maka, and Tsubaski came over.**

Crona: …what just happened?

Maka: I really can't bring myself to care enough to ask.

**"Nicole what's wrong" Tsubaski asked**

**"I was hoping she wouldn't have to live with this curse." Nicole cried "I was hoping that she wouldn't get controlled by this demon" Nicole looked down "But I was wrong"**

Crona: Oh, right…the whole "demon" thing.

**Nicole brought Crystal home and later tried to get to sleep nut only got an 15 minutes of sleep**

**"Hey Nicole you ok" Lily asked the next morning**

**"I couldn't get to sleep isn't that odd" Nicole asked**

**"Ya it is" Lily reaplied**

Maka: Well, aren't we reaching for plot points? What does a lack of sleep have anything to do with what's going on?

*SELF-DEPRECIATIVE…ACTUALLY, NEVER MIND*

Maka: …the hell?

**On their way to school**

**Lily looked at Nicole, she didn't look tired**

**The first one to catch up to them was sadly super ego Black*star with Tsubaski.**

Crona: No, Black*Star's more of an Id…

**Next was Maka and Soul. Finally Kidd, Liz, and Patty came over . Nicole smiled at everyone.**

**"So Crystal stayed at home. Poor girl" Patty has a rare intelligent sentence causing everyone but Nicole to stare.**

Both: _Patty is NOT STUPID_!

Maka: I am really getting sick of this bitch's attitude!

Crona: Likewise…

**Only Liz noticed this**

**"Yo Nicole you ok" Liz asked**

**"Huh YUP just fine why"**

**"you are oddly quiet" Liz said**

**Lily sighed and whispered into her ear "Liz, she got NO sleep last night thought we only need 3 hours of sleep a night" she paused "She barely got 20 minutes"**

Crona: Are they ever going to explain why they only need three hours of sleep…?

Maka: Doubt it.

**"WOW that's bad" Liz said "But wait then why when she came to our place fall asleep right away"**

**"I said we need AT LEAST 3 hours.**

Crona: No, you specifically said "only" three hours. There is a difference…

**At most 5 she probably faked" Lily said**

**"Ahh ok" Liz said as they reached the school and went inside as they sat down Nicole sat closer to Kidd then normal. Lily smiled**

**'after that 13 years of abuse and 4 years of running Nicole disserves someone like him' she thought 'im happy for her'**

**"C-can I s-sit" Crona asked Lily**

**"Ok" Lily said as Crona sat between her and Maka**

Crona: That's just so I can let you think I enjoy your company…

**Kidd looked at Nicole who was looking at her desk. That's when he realized she wasn't the only one acting weird. Black*star hadn't made his famous 'yahoooo' or 'I will suppress god' saying he didn't know whether to be happy or concerned. Tsubaski was looking concerned.**

**"Hey Tsubaski what's wrong with Black*star" Patty asked. He wasn't the only one that noticed this**

**"Nicole has been acting weird too" Liz spoke up**

**"Did Black*Star get any sleep" Lily asked**

**"Yeah for what I know" Tsubaski answered**

**"Hello class today we will be dissecting a white tiger" Stien said**

Maka: Notice you aren't protesting that, Sues. What, do you need to have a connection to tigers too before you start fighting for them?

**"AGAIN" Lily and Maka yelled**

**"Ok this is definitely weird" Patty said**

Maka: What, me getting annoyed? …you're kidding, right?

**"YO BLINDY YOU OK UP THEIR" Clear called**

Crona: I think you need to come up with a new insult…we're pretty much ignoring the whole "blind" thing now…

**Nicole blinked twice "YA I'M FINE" She yelled down**

**"Cool then fight us" Becca said**

**"Lily I want to be weapon in this battle" Nicole said**

**"Ok then circle blade"**

**They finish them off but Nicole didn't talk the whole time**

Maka: …I shouldn't have to ask you to put effort into your work, you know.

**And the next day at Maka's house..**

**"YAHOO I BLACK*STAR THANK YOU FOR THIS MEAL"**

**Lily looked at Nicole who was still looking down playing with her food. She looked at Kidd.**

**"She didn't get any sleep last night again" Lily told him**

**"Do you know what's wrong" he asked then she suddenly erupted**

**" NICOLE WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG. YOU HAVENT SLEEPED FOR TWO FREAKEN DAYS. YESTERDAY NIGHT YOU JUST LOOKED AT THE FLOOR. YOU HAVENT TALKED MUCH AND YOU HAVE BEEN IN A DAZE SINCE CRYSTAL FOUND HER DEMON MODE" Lily screeched**

Crona: …so, everyone's crazy in this fic?

Maka: Yep. And so are we for reading it.

**"I-I don't know" Nicole said**

**She sighed "LILY SLAP" she left a red mark on Nicole cheek and Nicole ran out of the apartment**

Maka: …hm…On the one hand, she finally slapped her, when she was asking for one all fic…but still…oh, whatever. _I'm gonna rearrange her entire skeleton_!

**Everyone looked shocked. Mostly because Lily got mad. Lily sighed "Liz. Patty. Kidd. Take her to the gallows place and see if she can sleep there. I might have a reason but I want to see if I'm right" And with that she left**

**"Kidd I bet you know where Nicole is" Soul asked**

**"I think. Liz Patty go to the gallows I'll get her" He said**

**~Ok with Lily outside of death city~**

Crona: Wait…where are they taking her?

Maka: The gallows? Oh, they're gonna hang her! Oh, thank God! This is finally coming to an end!

**Marie opened the door. "Hello Lily why are you here"**

**"I need to see stein Nicole has been acting strange and if I'm right Crystal being almost in her demon form has something to do with it" Lily explained**

**"ok want some tea" She asked inviting her in**

**"Sure" Lily replied**

**"Hello Lily why are you here" Stein asked**

**"Are you aware of an ability that Crystal has in half demon form called **_**shadow nightmare**_**"**

**"No what does it do"**

**"It causes the nearest people besides her to bring back there worst memories that's where the nightmare part comes from. The shadow part is what her powers are" Lily said**

**"Ok continue" Stein said as Marie brought some tea for all of them and sat down**

**"Well as you are aware Nicole was putting the necklace on Crystal and right before she was back to normal a black and white light surrounded the to. That was a spell. And the two closest" Lily took a drink of tea "Nicole and Black*star"**

**"So what are you saying" Marie asked**

**"I can understand why it wore off on Black*star since he isn't with her all the time but Nicole was with her at our house that enhances the effect" Lily said**

**"ok so what did you do" Stein asked**

**"I sent Kidd, Liz, and Patty after her after I accidently exploded on her and told them to take them to Kidd's house" Lily said**

**"Ok wait why Kidd" Marie asked**

**"No reason" She lied**

Crona: *yawns*

Maka: Here, I'll translate for you folks at home: Blah blah blah, the OCs are screwing shit up again, blah blah blah, this will all be resolved soon enough, so there's really no point to any of this except because the author thinks it's a good idea, blah blah blah blaaaaaaaah.

**~With Kidd~**

**Kidd walked into the library. She wasn't there. Next, the class room. Still not there. He was about to give up when he was walking home and heard the swings at the park.**

Maka: The go-to place for being all mopey and depressed! The swings at your local park!

**"Nicole you ok"**

**No reply**

**He sighed and took her hand "come on Nicole"**

**"… Kidd I'm sorry for worrying everyone" she stood up and started to walk**

**They reached the mansion and Patty hugged Nicole.**

**"Nicole you left some close here last time you can use those" Liz said getting a happy Patty off her "oh and there is a hot bath in the bath room you should get in it" She dragged Patty away**

**"… im going to do what she said and take a bath" Nicole said "and Kidd"**

**"What" He asked**

**"Thanks" She said Kissing him and walking upstairs**

**He stood there shocked for a bit but then went over to Liz who was watching Patty make a giraffe**

**"What's up" She asked**

**"Nicole kissed me" Kidd said**

**"Wow great job" Liz said**

Maka: "Apparently, you two have never kissed before, despite doing so when you first confessed, so congrats!"

**~With Nicole~**

**Nicole got dressed after her bath and brushed her hair**

**She went over to Kidd's room and knocked on his door**

**"Come in" He called**

**"Hey … Kidd" she came in he was reading on his bed "Can you scoot over a little" She asked and he did she lied down next to him "you have been wondering why I have been so quiet"**

**"ya" he simply said**

**"I have been I don't know how to say been seeing lots of flash backs on my past and I haent even realized I'm walking or if someone is talking to me its hard to understand" He realized tears were coming from her eye's. She also had a death grip on his sleeve of his PJ's**

Crona: …so, she's been mopey about the dark past she's pretty much told everyone about?

Maka: Basically. Pitying her yet, Crona?

Crona: Not a chance…

Maka: Didn't think so.

**After a while he noticed she was sleeping but still had the death grip on him. He thought on what Lily told him after she told Liz. 'So if she needs 3 hours of sleep a night multiply that by two she will need 6 hours of sleep' he thought but soon fell asleep after**

Maka: …please, just tell me what it will take for you to get an editor! Actually, I'll edit it myself! Just stop making me read it!

Crona: …w-wouldn't you have to read it to edit it?

Maka: …*head hits tray* Never mind…

Crona: *hugs Maka*

**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~**

**its surprisingly good**

**ok that's it**

Maka: "Surprisingly good"? …lady, what fic have you been reading, and can we read it instead of this?

Crona: Please…?

/

Ugh…just one more part and I'm done with this…

See you all soon.


	20. Story 9: Deja View Part 4

Almost done, almost done, for the love of crap, let's do this already!

/

**Me: SUP PEOPLE**

**Lily: The last chapter I was smarter then my teacher at something XD**

Maka: What? Where? How? Because he didn't know about your unbalanced powers? …I'll say it as many times as I have to: Absence of knowledge does _not_ equal stupidity!

**Stein: I OBJECT**

**Me: No, she was**

Crona: There is no possible way you could be smarter than Professor Stein…that would mean you actually have a working brain…

**Nicole and Kidd: *Still sleeping***

**Lily: What time is it right now**

**Me: umm 3:00**

**Black*star: Yahoo black mail *takes picture with cell phone***

**Lily: Speaking of black mail we don't have anyone at our truth or dare**

**Me: HEY NO ADVERTISING**

**Lily: Sorry**

Crona: But…didn't you-

Maka: Don't bother, if we just let it go we'll be done faster.

**Liz: Black*star send me that picture**

**Lily and Crystal: Ohh us too**

**Tsubaski: Black*star…**

**Me: ok on with the story**

Crona: W-Why is she even doing these long notes, anyway…?

Maka: More meandering and/or padding. Because this doesn't have enough of that as it is.

**~the same night with Lily~**

**"Thank you professor Stein. Marie " Lily said starting home**

**"Welcome" Stein said**

**"oh Marie the tea was good by the way" Lily said leaving**

**She walks for about 20 minutes and runs into someone and they both fall down**

**"Oh sorry" She said**

**"N-no I'm s-sorry" The boy says**

**"Oh hey Crona" Lily says getting up and helping him up**

Crona: …

Maka: …Crona? Something wrong?

Crona: …you're friends with Kim, right Maka…?

Maka: Yeah…why…?

Crona: U-Um…sh-she…has she…

Maka: …what?

Crona: Doesshehaveacrushonme?

Maka: …I'm sorry, what was that?

Crona: *sigh* D-Does Kim have a c-crush on me…?

Maka: …why…?

Crona: W-Well…i-it's just that…we've b-been running into each other a lot lately…

Maka: …Crona, do you think Kim is stalking you or something?

Crona: I-I don't know…it's just…weird how we keep bumping into each other…

**"H-hi Lily" he say's**

**"You ok" she asked**

**"Y-ya"**

**"What are you doing out so late at night" Lily asked**

**"I-I Don't know"**

**"Let me walk you home I'm guessing you got lost" Lily says**

**"Y-ya"**

**"ok let's go to the Dwma"**

**They walk and talk and soon get to the Dwma. Lily walks home after saying bye.**

Maka: …seriously, Crona, you have nothing to worry about. At this rate it probably won't even get mentioned.

Crona: J-Just wait…

**~ok about 5:30 At Kidd's house~**

**Nicole wakes up and releases her grip on Kidd after realizing she had a death grip on him.**

Maka: Oh, great, an OC winds up killing one of my friends again. Really getting tired of that happened, guys.

**She also saw he was up.**

Maka: …never mind.

**"OH um sorry" She said**

**"I've been up for a while" Kidd said showing her a book**

**"I'm guessing you're like me you don't need lots of sleep" She said**

**"Yep"**

**"Well at least I didn't wake you up" she said**

**Nicole got up and stretched 'wait…. I fell … asleep with him' She thought and a blush crept up on her face**

Both: …*blush*

**"I'm going to go get changed" She said**

**She smiled and left to get dressed. She got dressed in regular white shorts, tank-top, and a jacket around her waist. She then brushed her hair and went down stairs.**

**"So when do you wake Liz and Patty up" Nicole asked**

**" 6:00 " Kidd said simply having trouble starting the stove**

**"Need help" Nicole asked coming over**

**"… Yes" Kidd said giving up**

**She giggled a little "Why don't you try waiting for a little" She turned it and 7 clicks were heard then a flame went under the pan**

**"THERE WAS ONLY 7 CLICKS" He yelled**

Maka: …should we be making a list of all the times she's used this joke?

Crona: That'd take too long…

**"Kidd-kun relaxes" Nicole said hugging him**

**"… fine but next time try making 8 clicks"**

**"Ok" She said "What are we having"**

**"Eggs" He said**

**"Ug why did Kidd yell and how did you get the stove running" Liz asked**

**"oh your up wait your kidding right" She sweat dropped "all you have to do is let it click till there is a flame"**

**"So why did he yell" Patty asked**

**"There was only 7 clicks"**

Maka: What about all the times she explained the joke?

Crona: It would still take a long time…

**"Well now I understand how Patty got it working all those times" Liz said**

**So they all eat and leave for school**

**"Ahh Friday" Lily says catching up to them**

Crona: …there it is again. Why do I want to hurt pre-teens whenever this fic mentions Friday…?

**"Crystal sill isn't coming" Liz said causing Nicole to freeze**

**" Bad words" Lily said**

Maka: You've used enough of them already, so what makes right now any different?

**Nicole just kept walking towards the school**

**Ok after school since nothing super happened**

Maka: …goddammit, I know you're the type willing to give up what you want to get paid! So what's it gonna take for you to actually _edit_?

**"Damn it got like 10 degrees hotter" Nicole said**

**"Wait what's it to you" Lily asked**

**" nothing just saying" Nicole said a shadow in the corner of her eye**

Maka: Wow, fascinating conversation. It fits so perfectly with all of the other fascinating conversations had in this fic.

**"Nicole is something wrong" Maka asked as Nicole ran off into the woods**

**"FREAKIN SHIT IT CAN'T BE I KILLED HER" Nicole said running deeper into the forest**

**"Nicole get back here" Lily yelled**

**Tsubaski shrugged and everyone ran after her**

Maka: "Apparently the plot follows them around, so we may as well!"

**~later~**

**"BLAZE DAMN YOU I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU" Nicole yelled**

Maka: …wait, is it one of her "sisters"?

Crona: B-But she just said…oh no, they _can_ come back from having their souls eaten!

Maka: …author, I was joking when I said that. I wasn't trying to give you ideas!

**"Oh sister but you didn't. Nor did you kill Storm"**

Maka: When did they fight?

Crona: P-Probably that nameless one…

**"Did I not kill anyone else"**

**"Umm No"**

Maka: Sooooo, everything up to this point has been completely pointless? …_I HATE THIS FIC SO GODDAMN MUCH_!

**"Oh well I'm re killing you"**

**Lily comes out of hiding and does everyone else**

**"YAHOOO BLACK*STAR BIG WAVE"**

**"OW WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT" Flare screeched**

**"A taste of my soul wave length"**

**"Black*star What are you doing here" Nicole asked un aware of anyone behind her. Kidd taps her shoulder**

**"Huh Kidd? Wait did everyone follow me" Nicole asked**

**"Yep pretty much" Patty said**

Maka: "We've done it every other time in this fic, may as well do it now!"

**"… Thanks guys you're the best" Nicole said " Now let's kick her ass"**

**"No mention it" Black*star said and all the weapons transform**

**"Fireball CANNON" Flare summoned a weapon that looked like a huge gun**

**"Nicole were you born into a family of witches" Soul asked**

**"I've been asking myself that for 16 years now but so far I only have elementist sisters"**

**"R-right" Soul mutters**

Crona: I thought we already established that these "elementists" were a different species from witches…

Maka: Well, we obviously have to keep going over these plot points because they're just _so_ important, right?

**"I'M STILL HERE YOU KNOW" Flare yells**

**"Hold on our fight for a sec. I have a question" Nicole says**

**"What is it" Flare asked**

**"Why did you turn evil" Nicole say's "You went away from our house when the witch cast the curse on our family"**

**"I guess it's because mom forced me to" Flare said**

**"Well have you eaten any human souls"**

**"No"**

**"Then what are you doing" Maka asked**

Maka: She's wasting more of our time, obviously!

**"Now that I think about it Mom told me if I didn't do this she would kill me"**

Crona: …th-the mother's going to be in this t-too? F-Feeling faint again…

Maka: It's OK, Crona. She'll probably just stay in the background as the excuse for all these other OCs showing up.

**"Then do what Me and Crystal did run away and PLEASE take away this heat wave" Nicole said**

**"oh right sorry" Flare said**

**It suddenly went cooler or well whatever the normal cool is in Nevada**

Maka: So, no real change then?

**"So what are you going to do now Flare" Nicole asked. They all had settled down and Nicole had brought food for everyone since they had planned to picnic anyway**

**"Wait aren't you mad at me for you know burning you when you were little" Flare asked**

**"Well mom kinda forced you into doing that so nope" Nicole said**

**"Umm Nicole where is Crystal" Flare asked**

**"…" Nicole froze and looked down**

**"Now's not a good time Flare" Maka said**

**"Oh that's right I know Lily and Nicole but that's it" Flare said "So who are you guys" She asked**

**"Scythe mister Maka Albarn and my weapon Soul Eater"**

**"Sup"**

**"I AM THE GREAT BLACK*STAR I SHAL SUPRESS GOD HIM-"**

**"NICOLEEEE KICK" He goes flying**

**"Who's his weapon" Flare asked**

**"I'm Tsubaski nice to meet you"**

**"I'm Liz and this is my sister Patty"**

**"HEHE BLACK*STAR GO BOOM INTO TREE"**

Crona: …why do you people hate Patty so much?

**"And I'm Death the Kid but you can call me Kidd"**

**"Wow weird name" Flare say's**

**"What do you expect from the son of shagaime-sama" Lily says**

**"Wait you're the grim reapers son" Flare says**

**"Wow for my older sister you can be real clueless" Nicole said causing everyone to anime fall**

Maka: "Oh, gee, sorry I didn't know everything about a guy I just met today!"

Crona: …"anime fall"?

Maka: Don't ask…

**"So what now" Flare asked**

**Everyone goes to see Crystal**

**"HEY LIL SIS SUP" Flare screams hugging her**

**"FLARE YOUR BACK TO NORMAL" Crystal screams hugging back**

**Everyone gives a WTH look and Crystal screams**

**"AHH THE NORMAL PEOPLE ARE GIVING US WEIRD LOOKS "**

**"OH NO I FEEL THE PAIN"**

**This makes everyone sweat drop**

**"Uhh are they always like this" Maka asked**

**"Sadly yes" Nicole and Lily say**

Maka: Great, because we needed _two_ all-caps speakers instead of one.

**This goes on for a while and then Liz asked**

**"So what are you going to do now"**

**"I don't know if lord death lets me I might join the Dwma" Flare say's**

**"so that would make 3 Tempest's going to the Dwma" Lily said**

**"Tempest?" Tsubaski said**

**"Its Mine, Nicole's, and Flare's last name" Crystal said**

**"cool" Soul said**

Crona: I think Soul was replaced with a robot that can only say "cool" over and over again…

Maka: That'd fit for a lot of these fics…

**Flare looked at everyone then realized how close Nicole was sitting to Kidd**

**"You know something I sort of thought you were dead Nicole" Flare said**

**"Figures"**

**"Umm Kidd's your name right? Well I have a question" Flare said "What's with the stripe things on your head" this caused everyone to freeze**

**Kidd crumbles to the floor "I'M TRASH GARBAGE. SCUM. I DON'T DISSERVE TO LIVE.I SHOULD JUST DIE." He cried**

Maka: …*head hits tray* Yeah, sure, keep using the same joke. Because it was funny the first _twenty times_!

**Flare looked confused**

**"He has Ummm problems" Nicole said**

**"Can I guess OCD" Flare said**

**"Yep" Liz said and Patty was laughing like a maniac**

Maka: Yeah, because most people with OCD act like that…

**"So if I say stuff about the lines on his head he breaks down" Flare said loudly causing him to go into a worse of a break down**

**"FLARE!" Nicole yelled**

**"Come on Kidd you're not trash" Liz said**

**"YA TRASH GOES MEOW LIKE DOGS DO" Patty smiled**

Crona: …do you people think Patty is mentally handicapped or something? Because I think she proved that she isn't when she was here…

**"NO I DON'T DISSERVE TO LIVE"**

**"Kidd-kun" Nicole hugged him "You're not any of that. You're a shagaime"**

**"You don't think I'm asymmetrical garbage?" Kidd asked**

**"Nope quite the opposite actually" Nicole gave a thumbs up**

**"Wow she settled him down I was starting to think that we would have to have Patty scare him"**

**Nicole stopped hugging him "Okay get up Kidd"**

**"ok" he said getting up**

**Everyone say's bye after a while and Flare closed the door "Nicole are you dating Kidd"**

**"Y-yeah I guess I am"**

**"GOOD FOR YOU LIL SIS but why are you dating him? He's out of your leage" She said**

**"Ha ha ha" She laughed sarcastically "veary funny"**

Maka: What makes you think she was joking? Because it's true, you know. He is out of your league.

**"Aw come on don't you think his OCD is just a little annoying "**

**"Some time's but that's what makes him different" Nicole smiled "It's one of the things I like about him"**

**"And does he know about your yang side"**

**"Ya"**

**"Good"**

Maka: "Saves us the trouble of explaining it for the fiftieth time."

**Me: YIPEE IM DONE WITH THIS CHAPTIE**

**Nicole: Yep you are *Cell rings* Huh a text *looks at text* BLACK*STARRRRRRRRR**

**Kidd: Nicole calm down it can't be that bad**

**Nicole: *shows text***

**Kidd: …**

**Nicole: HELP ME KILL HIM**

**Kidd: Yes**

**Black*star: Shit**

**Me: Hehe *throws black*star* Catch**

**Nicole: NICOLE-KICK**

**Kidd: DIE *shoots***

**5 minutes later ….**

**Nicole: He disserved that**

Crona: You deserve worse.

**Me: WHATS UP**

**Nicole: Hi**

**Kidd: wow 15 chapters in 12 month starting last chapter**

**Soul: You need a life**

**ME: *Anime vain* What did YOU SAY**

Maka: It's true. You do need a life, preferably one as far removed from us as possible.

**Nicole: Nicoleeeeeeee-KICK**

**Soul has been d/c**

Crona: …this is all happening on the chat?

Maka: Sure, why not? Makes as much sense as anything else.

**Black*star: *Looks at phone* Hey I still have that picture from-**

**Flare: BLACK*STAR THAT'S SO LAST CHAPTER but I want a picture of the two together too**

**Me: SO I am going to say there is going to be 6 oc's in this story that don't bully or are on the bad team but only 5 revolve around the main 7.**

Crona: *shudders* Do you enjoy doing this to me?

**Nicole**

**Lily**

**Crystal**

**? You have to find out**

**? again find out**

**Toxin: MEEEEEE**

**Me: TOXIN YOU SPOILED IT**

**Storm: So what if she did**

**Me: I hate my Oc'c**

Maka: That applies to everyone.

Crona: And if you hate them, why did you even make them to begin with…?

**Wish: You now you love us**

Both: _No_.

**Me: ARGG**

**Nicole: Settle down**

**Lily: WISH WTH**

**Me: ARGG**

**Maka: While we settle everyone down enjoy the story!**

Maka: I said that sarcastically, of course.

**!**

**"So you're going to let my sister join the school" Nicole said**

**"YEP It will help pay for the crimes she committed" Lord death cheered causing everyone in the room but him witch in all was really just Kidd, Nicole, Liz, Patty, Lily and Spirit.**

**"Okay" Nicole said "Wait if I remember correctly there was 5 member's in my family that excepted the curse"**

**Everyone looked at her but she dropped to a crouch kinda like Kidd's with his OCD attacks but her hands were on her head "BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER THEM"**

Maka: …you're not even trying to hide how overdramatic you can be, are you?

**Everyone but the adults dropped to his knee's "Can't you ask Flare" Kidd asked**

**"YOUR RIGHT THANKS KIDD" She jumped up and hugged him and ran out. Lily followed**

**"So you got yourself a girlfriend" Lord death said " I APROVE OF HER" Her then said in his high squeaky voice**

**"Father…" Kid said**

Crona: "Please kill me now."

**~With Nicole~**

**"HEY FLARE"**

**"Huh what is it"**

**"One I was wondering do you remember the family members that the curse didn't effect"**

**"Well me our sister Storm and Crystal, You, and our coz Wish and Toxin" Flare said**

**"Oh by the way you got excepted into the Dwma"**

**"YIPEE when do I start"**

**"Tomorrow" Lily said**

Maka: Hey, I forget…isn't this supposed to be about us? Not these people?

Crona: One would think…

**Nicole ran back into the death room "Lord Death I had an idea but I need to say it with no one else in the room but people that need to be here"**

**Kidd sighed and him along with a laughing Patty, a bored Liz, and Lily walked out**

**"Ok 5 of my relatives weren't affected by the curse. We have Me, Crystal, and Flare. We fought Storm. But we just need to find Wish and Toxin. I'm positive Storm will come back so we don't need to find her. But we can do need to find the other two. If we can get them to come to the Dwma that would leave less people for us to kill. Wish is 25 she could teach if we find her." Nicole said "I think I want to find the ones that weren't effected by the curse it would make less pre-ketion eggs. They are able to not only eat soul's but power up as they do"**

**"I don't Like the plan" Spirit says**

**Nicole sighed and pulled out her wallet "Her pervey death scythe a picture of Wish"**

**"OK I LIKE THIS PLAN" he said**

Maka: *facepalm* Why do you even bother including him…?

**Lord Death nodded "So how are you going to do this"**

**"Well elementist have a different soul wave length depending on the element. So We go to the place Toxin and Wish were last seen and we use soul perception. "**

**Lord Death's mask seem to smile "OKAY Take the residence group your in and go find your family"**

**"Um sir in case you forgot I'm In your sons group" Nicole said**

**Okay Nicole walks out and tells the team everything and then says "To simplify it WE ARE GOING TO FLORIDA"**

**"Wow your family lives in weird places" Black*star commented**

**"Well wish Lives on a private island off the coast of Florida so ya" Crystal said**

**~ok they are in Florida on the island~**

Maka: The transitions are crap, you all already know that. I can't come up with gold every single time.

**Nicole wandered off into a forest. She is gone for a while so Kidd goes to find her(thanks to Lily). She is sitting at the top of a tree. "HI KIDD" she yells**

**"Where were you everyone's worried" Kidd yells**

**"Sorry I was hot" Nicole yells and slides down Kidd stares at her**

**"Kidd why are you looking at my breast's"**

Maka: Oh for…can anyone make a fic where Kid _isn't_ a pervert?

**" just realized… THERE PERFECTLY SYMMETRICAL" he grabs her breast's**

Maka: …*head hits tray* Fine…go ahead. Use the same joke fifty fucking times…I don't even care anymore…

Crona: …*hugs Maka*

**"K-KIDD" Nicole seemed surprised "WHAT THE HELL DEATH THE FREAKIN KID" Nicole kicks him in the face "WE MIGHT BE DATING BUT THERE IS STILL A LIMIT TO THE OCD I WILL ALLOW WHY SHOULD YOU TALK ABOUT SYMMETRY ANYWAY LOOK IN A MIRRIOR" She realized what she did "opps sorry Kidd-kun"**

Maka: And three, two, one…

**"I'M TRASH GARBAGE ASEMMETRICAL GAR-"**

Maka: *sighs*

**He gets cut off by Nicole Kissing him. Soon enough he kissed back**

**She broke apart "I'm sorry I didn't meen it I just get pissed when people touch my breast's" She sighed "Sorry"**

**"Its fine"**

**"By the way Kidd… You have soft lips"**

Maka: *groans* Oh brother…

**Nicole giggled and they heard rustling Nicole right away got it to a fighting stance and a girl about as tall as Marie came out of the bushes. Nicole losened her stance.**

**"Ohh it's you we were looking for you"**

**"We?" The girl with light pink hair and dark pink highlights asked. She also had on a Light pink shirt with jean capris and no shoes. Her pink pearl ear rings shined and glowed in the middle while in the forest like they had energy in them. So did the necklace with a single pink pearl. She showed no emotion in her voice like she was goth but didn't dress goth.**

Crona: …I have a feeling Raven would get annoyed with that if she was here…

**She also wore dark pink lip-stick with lite pink in the middle of the lip. She had dark pink eye shadow that also had a lite pink line in the middle. " Oh you and him" she had the same tone all the time**

**"N-no " Nicole stuttered "There's more on the beach, Wish" she explains the problem**

**"Okay I'll help" She says her tone still not changing**

**"Is she alway's like this" Kidd whispered**

**"Look who's talking mr. Dressed all in black" Wish say's**

**"Umm Wish this is Death the Kidd"**

**"Ah the grim reapers son" Her tone the same still…. You get the point it's always the same deep tone only going down not up**

Crona: Then why do you keep mentioning it if we should get it by now…?

**"HEY EVERYONE I FOUND WISH" Nicole yells**

**"Good um what's her element, is it cool" Soul asked**

Maka: …that "Soul Robot" theory of yours is starting to sound more plausible, Crona.

**"AH HAHAHA I BET IT'S NOT AS GREAT AS THE GOD BLACK*STAR"**

**"Maybe this will tell you" Wish says and her pink highlighted hair glows and she looks at Maka "Your name is Maka and you like books. You're a miester and your weapon is Soul eater Evans."**

**"H-how do you know" Maka asked**

**"She has the element of psychic" Lily said quietly**

Crona: …"element of psychic"?

Maka: What do you think this is? Pokemon?

**"YAHOOOOO um Tsubaski what's a psychic"**

**"This" Wish said and a light pink glow surrounded Black*star and he went flying and then before he hit the ground was lightly set down**

**"THAT WAS SO COOL" Black*star screams**

**"Ok now to find Toxin" Nicole said**

**"Toxin too? Let me help" Wish said closing her eyes "Ok she should be in the andea's mountains"**

**"She can track people" Tsubaski says amazed**

**"Nope only my sis"**

Maka: "You know, despite being psychic and all."

**"Let's go" Nicole say's and Lily transforms and starts to run. Kidd follows on his bored thing. Maka and Soul follow somehow. Same with Black*star and Tsubaski. Wish levitated. They were soon there.**

Maka: Yeah, because going from Florida to the _Andes Mountains_ is just a short trip.

**"TOXIN" Nicole yelled and a girl with short purple hair and purple jacket around her shoulder's turned around. She had a pair of jeans on with her hair pulled neatly into a bun. Her shirt was well light purple.**

**"Huh Nicole it's you" She summoned a sword that had poison on it away into the ground**

**"Yeah hi um we need your help" Lily said**

**Nicole explains**

**"YES YES YES I'LL HELP"**

**"Good because I sence a soul that we need"**

**"What?" Nicole said**

**Suddently thunder cloud's form over head and storm comes down**

**"Storm?"**

Maka: Please let that be Storm from the X-Men, here to smite them all…

Crona: W-We aren't that lucky…

**"Hello little sister"**

**"Why are you attacking us"**

**"Mom told me to… She scares me" The grey haired yellow highlighted girl said. She was wearing a grey shirt her skirt, that went to the ground, was yellow . she had a cross arrow with a grey cloud pattern**

**"Wait a sec she's in a daze" Wish said levitating up and summoning razor claws**

**"cool a fight" Soul say's but is stopped by Nicole**

**"Let my cuzin's take care of this"**

**"Poison whip" Toxin says a poison whip rising from the ground**

**"HA you think that will hurt me"**

Crona: She doesn't sound like she's in a daze…

**"As a matter of fact" Toxin said her whip tying up Storm**

**"We do" Wish finished**

**Storm growled and attack. While they fought Nicole turned to Kidd. "What's the date"**

**"12/1"**

**"Geez a month till Christmas" Lily barges into the conversation**

**"Yeah I'm surprised that the mall doesn't have any sale's up yet" Liz said**

Crona: "By the way, isn't there a fight going on?"

Maka: "You expect us to actually focus on those?"

**Nicole laughed and turned to watch the fight witch at this point was a fainted Storm and her cousin's looking at her. Nicole walked over "We should take her to the Dwma's hospital"**

**They all nod and everyone runs to the Dwma.**

Maka: "See?"

**~The next day~**

**"Ugg were am I" A Now awake storm asked**

**"At the Dwma" Nicole say's causing Storm to look around**

**"WHAT HOW THE HELL DID I GET HERE" Storm yells and goes under the cover's**

**All the original S.E. gang except Black*star who was pleading about how he would suppress god sweat dropped**

**"I CARRIED YOU" Toxin yelled**

**~Now after they speak to lord death~**

Maka: I know you're not in this for the art, because no sane human being could call this "art"! I know you can be bought, _so what will it take_?

**"Ok so my cousins and sisters are a team now and they asked if I wanted to join there team…" Nicole said**

**"WHAT" Everyone yelled**

**"… BUT I said no"**

**"Why" Soul asked**

**"We would miss you too much" Lily said**

Maka: "We need to lord ourselves over _someone_!"

**"also…" Nicole got dark lines on her head "Wish is now a teacher"**

**"SEE YOU IN CHAT ROOM" Lily grabbed Nicole's hand and ran away**

Maka: Oh God, not again!

**INSERT POINTLESS CHATLOG HERE**

Maka: …*pokes Crona* Wake up, Crona.

Crona: I-I wasn't a-asleep! I-I-I was just…resting my head…and my eyes…

**"I'm HERE" Nicole yell's knocking on the door**

**Patty awnser's the door "HI" She yells**

**Nicole sighed " What did you do to make Kiddo yell"**

**"DAMN IT LIZ PATTY IM GOING TO KILL YOU TWO" Kidd yells**

**"KIDD I'M HERE"**

**Liz smiles as Kidd runs to the door "LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO THE LIVING ROOM"**

**Nicole sighed and ran to the living room where all the furniture was on the right side of the room**

Maka: *eyeroll* Of course…

**"Kidd if you don't kill your partner's and let me put my stuff in the guest room I'll help you clean up" she smiled when he nodded and she kissed his checks. She ran upstairs and put her stuff away**

**~later~**

**"What's Liz and Patty doing" Nicole asked Kidd when they were done cleaning**

**"Studying there's a test in two days" Kidd said**

**"Well I'm going to make dinner tonight" Nicole said getting up to make dinner**

**~After dinner~**

Maka: …you honestly think this stuff is important, don't you? That's why you just won't edit any of it out, right? You're really this egotistical, _aren't you_?

**Patty is watching TV. Nicole grabbed a book and hung upside down from the couch. Liz was doing her nails.**

**"What's Patty watching" Nicole asked looking up from her book**

**"ICarly" Liz said still painting her nails**

Maka: Bleck.

Crona: …just because she watches kids shows doesn't make her stupid or mentally challenged or anything…

**Kidd walked in and sat by Nicole who was still hanging upside down "Please don't sit like that" Kidd asked**

**"Why" Nicole asked**

**"It makes you Asymmetrical" He said**

**She smiled rolled her eyes and sat up. She put her head on Kidd's shoulder. Liz sighed "PATTY DO WE HAVE TO WATCH THIS"**

**Nicole laughed and Patty giggled "NOPE"**

**"Well I'm going to go take a bath k" Nicole said getting up**

**"OK" Patty giggled and she went upstair's**

**Soon enough Nicole was out of the bath and she walked to Kidd's room.**

Maka: *hits head repeatedly on tray* _I can't take this anymore_! Please, for the love of everything sacred, _edit_!

Crona: …*pats Maka's back*

**"Hello Kidd you asleep"**

**"No come in" he called and she walked in and sat down on his bed. He was reading but also had the Tv, which you could tell almost never was used, on the new's. the phone rang . Kidd awnsered**

**"Maka is sick" Tsubaski called over the line**

**"YEP AND ALL OF US ARE OVER HER HOUSE COME OVER" Black*star yelled and hung up Nicole sighed and got up "Get moving lazy ass" She said playfully but serous at the same time**

**Soon they reached Maka's house where they were surprised to find the team outside the door.**

**"Spirit" Soul said simply and Nicole sighed and knocked the door open. That caused Spirit to run over to the door**

**"I told you to wait outside" He said but Lily wasn't fazed**

Crona: …u-um…he doesn't-

Maka: He has no idea what happened. Trust me, Blair won't tell him. I made sure of that.

**"SHUT UP ASS HOLE MAKA FREAKIN HATES YOU" Lily slammed her way in and everyone followed. When Soul, Black*star, and Kidd tried to walk in Spirit stopped them**

**" NO this is a ladies room" He said and Black*star ignored this and walked in**

**Nicole walked over and Kicked spirit so hard he fainted.**

Maka: …*sigh* It's just not the same when a useless OC does it.

**Kidd looked shocked. "Wonder what he'll say when he wakes up" He said**

**"Screw what he say's" Nicole said shocking everyone "When one of my friends are sick I can't hold In what I'm thinking"**

Crona: …*blush* N-No comment…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**Ok now they all are home and Nicole crawled into bed with Kidd**

Maka: …this is a call for help, isn't it? You want me to get so enraged that I hunt you down and kill you, don't you? Please tell me there's a legitimate reason for doing this!

**"I'm going to sleep with you again" Nicole whispered causing him to blush**

Maka: It would be _so_ easy to quote that out of context, but I like to think I'm better than that.

**"Ok" He said**

**Nicole lied so close her body touched his.**

**"Hey Nicole I have a question"**

**"Hmm"**

**"You always talk about your mom but not your dad" Kidd pointed out**

**"Don't know him" She said simply**

**"Huh"**

**"Mom probably just did it at some random hotel with a random man." Nicole sighed "She did that a lot"**

Crona: …no comment…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**"Your mom is worse then Maka's dad"**

Maka: No shit!

**"Ya… I hate her"**

**"You have a reason to"**

**"I guess" Then she fell asleep**

**He soon followed**

**~Three hours later~**

**They both woke up at the same time, oddly, and Nicole went to get ready Liz came in and Nicole relized it was time to go**

**At school….**

**They were dissecting today and Nicole got a note on her desk**

Maka: Oh, here we go…

**INSERT POINTLESS NOTE PASSING HERE**

Maka: …*pokes Crona*

Crona: I-I'm awake! I-I mean…

Maka: You can take a nap at home when we're done if you have to. But right now, I need you to help me get through all of this, OK?

Crona: …sorry…

Maka: It's alright.

**That's it for now I guess …**

**By the way I got the note idea from a different fanfic but it was different words**

**Soul: Cool… I guess**

**Me… .Nothing else**

Maka: …geez, you just gave up on this, didn't you?

**Me: SUP PEOPLE**

**Nicole: *reads chapter* OH MY SHAGAIME-SAMA REALLY NICKY-CHAN REALLY**

**Me: …**

**Kidd: What's so bad about it**

**Nicole: *show's chapter***

**Kidd: O.O**

**Me: OHH GEZ**

**Lily: Leme see …**

**Kidd: oh ya Lily you get a big part in the next chapter**

**Nicole: You are a perv. In this chapter…**

Maka: …this fic isn't rated M, is it?

Crona: N-No…n-not that it would stop her…

**Kidd: I'M NOT WRITING THIS**

Crona: No, you're not…what made you think you were?

**Patty: KIDDO'S A PERV KIDDO'S A PERV umm Nicole whats a perv**

**Nicole and liz: … We will tell you later**

Maka: Oh you have got to be kidding…

**Black*star: WHY CAN'T THAT BE ME AND TSUBASKI**

**Me: OOOOoookaaaaaayyyy ****DON'T READ THIS PART IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOILERS**

**Okay they are talking about Kidd's going to walk in on Nicole while she is taking a bath**

**SPOILER DONE**

Maka: …the hell is the point of telling us what's going to happen ahead of time? Are…just…what is _wrong_ with you?

**Nicole and Kidd: …..**

**Patty KAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

**Nicole: ****DON'T LAUGH**

**Me: HEY I FOUND A WAY TO TYPE YOU HALF YANG FORM**

**Liz: Ok let's get on with the story …. I want to see the perverted part**

**Nicole: HEY**

Crona: I really don't get it…what's the point to having these "chat segments"?

Maka: That's what I've been trying to figure out since this review started…

…**.**

**Nicole finished up homework in class and started to walk to Kidd's. She heard yelling and turned around.**

**"Hey Kidd. Umm aren't you flying home"**

**"Liz and Patty left without me" He said or cried**

**"Shut up ya big baby" Nicole scolded**

Maka: Great girlfriend you have there, Kid…

**Nicole grabbed Kidd's hand and started walking**

**"Kidd how long will you live for"**

**"Odd question but I'm immortal"**

**Nicole smiled "Than I have more things in common with you I won't age much" Nicole said**

**"Why didn't you tell me before"**

**"Well…. I don't like being compared"**

Crona: Compared to what…? Someone who's actually interesting…?

**"So how many more soul's till Lily is a death scythe" Kidd asked**

**"….. we need a witches soul"**

**"Really that close"**

**"Yep we failed once before going to school here too" she said**

Maka: Not what we would know, since we _never_ see it!

**"I failed 3 times already" Kidd said**

**"LEME GUESS your souls were all taken way because you destroyed thing's"**

**"….Yep"**

**Nicole and Kidd talked for a while until they reached Kidd's house.**

**Patty ran over and jumped onto Nicole**

**"Patty please don't kill me" Nicole said**

**"Sowwy"**

**"It's ok"**

**She got off of Nicole and giggled. Nicole sighed and stood up. She walked inside the house and set her stuff down. She ran outside and climbed a tree with her book in her mouth. She reached the top and sat down and opened her book. She read for a while then heard Patty.**

**"NICKY-CHAN WHERE ARE YOU"**

**"UP HERE" she jumped down "WHY**

**" Liz-chan want's you to cook"**

**Nicole smiles and walk's into the kitchen. She cook's dinner and they eat (yep im lazy)**

Maka: *fake gasp* Nooooooo! You, lazy? Perish the thought!

**"I'm going to go get ready for bed k" Nicole say's going up stairs and running bath water**

**~else were~**

**Lily sighed and walked over to the dwma's dorm. She knocked on one of the door's.**

**"Crona it's me Lily"**

**"C-come in" the Pink haired boy said. Lily usually hung out with Crona and even had befriended Ragnarok, with food.**

Crona: *shudder* I al-almost forgot about this…

**Ragnarok appeared "Did you bring food"**

**"Yep I brought you candy too" She handed Ragnarok the food he gobbled it down and returned to Crona's back. Lily handed Crona his food and they both sat down in the middle of the floor and ate.**

**"So what are you doing for Christmas?" Lily asked**

**"S-stay here. W-why?" He stuttered**

**"That's boring" Lily muttered**

**After a while of talking Lily said "You know Nicole's cousin is a teacher now"**

**"I don't know how to deal with a new teacher" Crona said going into his corner**

**Lily sighed and went over "It's ok. Just thought I should tell you"**

**"O-ok"**

Crona: "Now can you please stop talking to me…?"

**~Back with Nicole~**

**Nicole looked out the window before getting in the bubble filled bath **_**great a storm is coming**_** she thought sarcastically**

**~With Kidd~**

Maka: …I wish I was numb to this already…

**"Hey do you know where Nicole is" Kidd asked Liz**

**"Yeah she is up stairs" Liz said**

**"Thanks" Kidd said and walked up the stairs**

**Kidd walked into the guest room. He noticed that the bathroom door was open**

**"Nicole you in here" Kidd called as he walked in the bath room**

**"huh KIDD GET OUT I'M TAKING A BATH" Nicole yelled turning around only to realize he mistake to herself**

**"Nicole you didn't tell me you were this scarred up" Kidd said noticing all the scares on her back**

**"It's from my mom's whip" She said**

**"Wait how do you get scarred" Kidd asked turning around to hide a blush**

**"They kept hitting me in the same spot" Nicole said standing up and wrapping a towel around her**

Maka: …I think this conversation is making my brain hurt…

Crona: Likewise…

**"Luckly I already washed my hair and body so I can get out" She muttered " Um Kidd"**

**"hmmm"**

**"GET THE HELL OUT"**

**"Okay" he ran out rather fast and she got into her pj's. Liz came in**

**"Okay what happened with you two. Kidd came out blushing like an idiot and I think he was about to have a nose bleed" Liz commented**

**Nicole blushed a little and handed Liz a hair brush "Can you please brush"**

**Liz started to brush.**

**"He walked in on me while I was bathing" Nicole said**

**"Really!"**

Crona: Ah! An exclamation point!

Maka: Oh my God! Punctuation! Progress! _Finally_!

**"Ya but I don't think he knew I was bathing "**

Maka: No! Wait! Come back, punctuation! We won't hurt you! Pleeeeease come back!

**Nicole commented but Liz noticed she nervously had looked out the window at the storm coming.**

**"Good we know Kidd isn't becoming a pervet anytime soon"**

Maka: Not according to every other fanfic author out there…

**"Yeah buti had to screech at him to get out" Nicole muttered**

**Liz put her arms in the air "YES BLACK MAIL"**

**"Please don't tell anyone. It's embarsing"**

**" Okay I won't"**

**"PROMISE"**

**"… Yeah I promise"**

**"Good well I'll see you tomorrow" Nicole said grabbing a pillow**

**"Ok… Wait what are you doing"**

**"I'm going to go hit Kidd with this pillow for walking in on me"**

**"YES"**

Maka: Wrong Thompson again.

**Nicole walks over to Kidd's room. "Can I come in"**

**"Sure" He called**

**She enter and walked over to him. She sat down next to him then hit him in the head with the pillow. HARD**

Maka: Well, you must've killed him if you hit him so hard that it was in all-caps. And again, can you OCs stop killing my friends?

**"What was that for"**

**"Walking in on me"**

**"Done hitting me" he asked**

**"Yep" She said but then a big crack of thunder struck causing her to jump**

**"Wow your jumpy" He said**

**"It's the storm" Nicole said lieing next to him hugging him tightly**

**"Let me guess a terrible child hood experience made you afraid of storms" he said not bothered by how tight her hug was**

Crona: I guess Kid's as tired of all the dark background information as we are…

**"Uh-hu. When mom made storm evil storm would attack me. Every time she attacked I heard thunder" She explained**

**"That could explain it" He said handing her the book she left in his room last night. She accepted it and started to read it but Kidd felt her body tense up on every clap of thunder. But she was soon asleep. Kidd grabbed her book and put it on her nightstand next to the bed. So it was symmetrical he put his book on his as well and fell asleep too.**

**~With Liz~**

**Liz sighed and walked over to Kidd's room with Patty. They needed to barrow one of his credit-card's for tomorrow. Patty jumped in the room and Liz followed but cupped Patty's mouth and pulled her out when she saw the two asleep together**

**~The next morning~**

Maka: *twitch* _Just explain why you're doing this_! I'm on the verge of getting an aneurysm here!

**"So how long have you and Nicole been sleeping together" Liz asked Kidd**

**"H-how do you know" Nicole asked as she came into the room**

**"I came in last night to get a credit-card from Kidd and you two had both fallen asleep" Liz said**

**"Wait why" Kidd asked**

**"For Christmas shopping" Liz said**

**"OH can I come" Nicole asked**

**"Sure" Liz smiled**

**"We were planning to take everyone out shopping anyway well girl wise" Patty said coming in**

**"When did I agree to this" Kidd asked**

**"I'll get you something symmetrical and two of them to match" Nicole said**

**"Deal" Kidd said**

**Nicole smiled and whispered "I'll make sure they don't bankrupt you"**

**He sighed "Thank you"**

**"Well let's get to school it's the test today and Friday THANK shagaime-sama" Nicole said**

Crona: Seriously, why do I want to hurt kids whenever I hear the word "Friday"…? It's starting to disturb me a bit…

**At school…..**

**"Ok class I'm Wish I will be watching your exam's" Wish yelled but same as always's her voice didn't change tone much**

**"Ok umm where is Sid" Lily yelled**

**"Somehow the zombie got sick" She muttered**

Maka: …ooooookay.

**"OH and This idiot was caught sneaking to get the test. And Soul Sid told me about your 'habits' " Wish said pointing to Black*star**

Maka: …weren't we done with the blatant ripoffs?

Crona: Should've known it wouldn't last…

**Everyone started there test. Nicole, Maka, Lily, and Tsubaski were all working hard on their tests. Kidd was stuck on the 'd' in death. Patty and Crystal were making 3-d figures. And Crona was being Crona.**

Maka: And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?

Crona: Sh-She was probably too lazy to think of anything for me…

Maka: …wouldn't surprise me…

**An hour later….**

**"Did you get past your name" Nicole asked Kidd**

**"I only got 1 question done" Kidd muttered**

**"Nicole what's it like to date Mr. OCD" Soul asked**

**"Well he can be a pain in the ass"**

**"HEY I RESENT THAT" Kidd yelled**

**"You know I love you" Nicole said hugging him "But at other time's he's really nice"**

**"yeah but he's a little boring" Soul said**

**"NICOLE KICK"**

Maka: Yay, random violence!

**"So who want's to come Christmas shopping with up" Liz asked and all the girls on the team raised their hand and they started to walk to the mall after saying by to everyone**

**888888888888888888888888**

**Me: SO How did you like it**

**Black*star: WHY DID KIDD GET TO WALK IN ON A PRETTY GIRL BATHING WHY CANT IT BE ME DAMN IT**

**Nicole:… wow just wow…..**

**Me: Well R and R**

**e" heee asked**

**"eeeeeee**

Maka: …did someone turn on a siren or something?

**Nicole: Hi people Nicky really doesn't want to talk right now she um let's say is in a bad mood**

**Me: bad mood. BAD MOOD. IM NOT IN A BAD MOOD IM FREAKIN PISSED**

Maka: Join the club.

**Black*star: IS IT BECAUSE I HAVE SUPREST GOOD**

**Me: NO MY SAVED FILE GOT DEALETED AND I HAVE TO REWRITE THIS WHOLE CHAPTER OVER AGAIN DAMN IT**

**Kidd: well this chapter will be about Lily so before things get bad we should move on with the story**

**Me: HELL NO IT'S 12:34 AM IM WAITING TILL MORNING …..**

**Morning no really I'm not time skipping…..**

Maka: …I…am I seeing this?

Crona: She did a timeskip in the chatlog…

Maka: …this is like laziness Nirvana! It's almost impressive in its sheer sloth!

**Me: I feel much better now soooo lets start the story…**

**Soul: FINALLY!**

**Me: NICKY-CHOP**

**Soul: *is hit in head with laptop***

Maka: Oh, hey, thanks for the idea for when _I finally find you_!

…**.**

**Lily sighed. It had been a week since Nicole left the house and Toxin, Storm, and Wish were moving out tomarrow.**

**Yin Logged in**

**Yang Logged in**

Maka: …*head falls on tray* This is just too much…

Crona: *hugs Maka*

**Yin: Yo Nicky-Chan**

**Yang: Hey**

**Yin: Hey you can come back home tommaow**

**Yang: YAY im also happy I got my Christmas shopping done early**

**Yin: Same**

**Yang: We haven't talked in a while. Where do you go when im not home**

**Yin: Crona's**

**Yang: REALLY**

**Yin: Ya**

**Yang: Have you found any one you like**

**Yin:… I think I like Crona**

Maka: *looks up* Oh _shit_.

Crona: *groans* I knew it…

**Yang: ….**

**Yin: Nicky-Chan?**

**Yang: YOU'RE A LESBO?**

**Yin: WHAT NO**

**Yang: Crona's a …Boy.**

**Yin: Ya**

**Yang: I thought he was a she**

Maka: OK, you know what? No. We're not doing this. We're not going through yet another debate about Crona's sex. Fast-forward through this. _Now_!

**SKIPS PAST REST OF POINTLESS CHATLOG**

Maka: Thank you.

**Lily sighed and Walked over to the Dwma Dorms. Knocking on Crona's door she smiled as he opened the door and let her in. She handed Ragnorok the food and he gobbled it up. Lily sighed and asked Crona**

**"Want to go to the park"**

**"I-I don't think I can deal with park's"**

**"I'll show you how to ok?"**

**"Ok"**

Crona: I actually like going to the park…

**They walk to the park**

**"See it's ok"**

**"Y-y-ya"**

**"Crona YOU BRAT I NEVER AGREED TO THIS" Ragnorok screamed coming out**

**Lily sighed and gave Ragnorok some candy causing him to say "Ok Never mind if you give me more candy"**

**"Ragnorok…." Crona cried as Lily threw him some more candy which he ate**

**"Good Black Blooded sword" Lily praised patting Ragnorok on the head**

**"HEY YOU BRAT"**

**Lily smiled and said "If you go back into Crona's back I'll make you a cake"**

**".. I'm out of here losser's" He said going into Crona's back**

**"So what do you want to do" Lily asked poking Crona**

**"I-I-I Don't know"**

**"How about we walk through the wood's" Lily asked**

**"I-I think I can deal with that"**

Maka: Smart move, Crona. No one will ever find her body there…

**Crona smiles and follows Lily**

**They walk for a while**

**"Nicole's coming home today"**

**"G-Good"**

**Ragnorok come out "JUST TELL HER DAMN IT"**

**"N-no"**

**"Fine Lily Crona has a crush on you"**

**"Really"**

Crona: N-No, Ragnarok's just making it up!

**"I-I Don't know how to deal with my secret being revealed" Crona cried**

**"Crona it's ok" Lily said**

**"Na uh you won't wana be my friend"**

**Lily sighed and sat him down "and why wouldn't I"**

**"Be-because you know"**

Crona: …

Maka: …Crona? You OK?

Crona: J-Just…don't like this…

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**Lily smiled "Nope. In fact I feel the same"**

**"YES A GOOD COOK LIKE'S CRONA" Ragnorok screamed**

**"R-r-r-r-really" Crona asked**

**"YEP"**

**Lily kissed his forehead causing him to blush slightly**

Crona: And now I need to wash my face when I get home…

**"I Don't know how to d-deal with being kissed" Crona said still blushing**

**Lily smiled and helped him up**

**~An hour later~**

**"I'll see you later Crona"**

**"Ok"**

Maka: *pats Crona's back* Just like getting a shot, Crona. Over before you know it.

Crona: …what about me getting shot?

Maka: Never mind…

**~Now with Nicole the next day yep Lily is done for now~**

**Nicole walked around to **_**shit it's raining damn it **_**she thought**

**She takes cover in an ally but then hears a faint meowing. She bends down and sees a kitten under a trash can. It was pure black except for a few speckles on its fur and that was silver. Some more speckles were bright yellow? It's eye's where a light shade of heather. Nicole sighed and gave the half-starved kitten some of her bread from her lunch and gave it to the kitten.**

Maka: Cats are carnivores, it shouldn't be eating bread.

**Then she picked it up and ran home.**

**"I'm HOME" Nicole yelled and Crystal ran to the door**

**"OH A KITTEN YAY"**

**"Ya I found it on the street" Nicole said getting some wrappings out to cover some of the kittens wounds. Then giving it milk.**

**" What should we name it" Lily asked**

**"MIDNIGHT MIDNIGHT" Crystal yelled**

**"No that's a tera- Wait that's a good name" Lily said**

Maka: No, you were right the first time, it's a terrible name.

**Nicole smiled and looked at the storm outside and froze at the sound of thunder then then turned on her tv and feel asleep.**

…**.**

**Nicole walks to school the next day and sits in her normal spot**

**"HEY BLINDY"**

Crona: You know, if you want to insult her, you could always call her "psycho" or "emo"…at least those would be accurate…

**"Ya"**

**"Whats up" Becca said**

**" Ok what do you want" Nicole says her eye's emptiely looking at them**

**"We wana know how the hell you got a boyfriend before we did" Becca said**

Maka: "I'm a Sue and the protagonist, while you're just here to be the token bullies. Put two and two together."

**"…." Nicole then started to laugh "If you look in the mirrior you see what you seems like Goddeses. What I see in you are two bitches that don't know how to be nice" Causing lily to hit her in the head**

**"Yeah yeah well mabey you should go and fuc-" Clear didn't finih her sentence before she realized that Nicole's nail's were clawing marks into the desk**

**"Is she making you mad ass hole" Becca sneered**

**"I AM FREAKIN OUT OF HERE" Nicole said**

Crona: …why is she the one getting mad? She's the one who put _them_ down…

Maka: She's schizophrenic, remember? Or she's just looking for attention. Either or.

**Kidd was about to enter the room when Nicole, who at the time didn't seem to sense anything, hit his shoulder and continued running down the hall.**

**"Lily what happened" Kidd asked going over as Liz walked over to Nicole's desk**

**"Kidd you might want to see this" Lily said pointing to Nicole's desk and then Black*star entered with Tsubaski**

**"Why was Nicole Running down the hall crying" Tsubaski asked**

**"Ask this Bitch" Lily said pointing to Clear**

**"I didn't do much but aggravate her and tell her she didn't disserve a boyfriend"**

Crona: …no you didn't.

Maka: Though I have to love how frank she is with her bitchiness. "Yeah, I just said all that to her. So what?"

**There was a moment silence before Lily whispered "Ummm Clear… Nicole is dating Kidd over there"**

**"I know who she is dating"**

**That caused Black*star to punch her**

Maka: Oh look, Black*Star was used as more than the punching bag for once.

**Then Maka and Soul came in.**

**"Yo Kidd go check on your girl Friend I think she is lieing on the roof" Soul said and Kidd knoded and ran out**

**Nicole lied on the roof and saw Kidd's golden ringed eye's looking down on her.**

**"You ok" He asked in concern**

**"Yeah She just pisses me off"**

**Kidd sighed "Stop acting so immature and get back to class" He said**

Maka: Oh, they're just the perfect couple, aren't they?

**"No I'm good" Nicole said rolling over so that he couldn't see he**

**He sat down next to her. "You sure you're ok"**

**"Yeah she only hurt me on the inside" Nicole said**

Maka: …did that line make you feel sick too, or is that just me?

Crona: I was just about to ask you the same thing…

**"That's not what I ment"**

**"Huh"**

**"You look like you have a fever" Kidd said**

**" I'm fine" Nicole said sitting up "So what are you going to do when you're done with school" She asked changing the subject**

**"Random but I'm taking my father's place as Shagaime-sama"**

**"Then I'll stay with you the whole time" Nicole said hugging him**

**"You?"**

**"Don't know really but I'm staying in Death City for sure" Nicole said smiling**

**"**

**~In the class room~**

Maka: Just a little more…just a little longer and I'll be done with all these godforsaken pointless asides…

**"Lily do you know where Nicole and Kidd are" Stein asked calling up**

**"Yeah Nicole got pissed and ran out and Kidd went to find her."**

**"ahhh ok"**

**Lily glared at Clear and sighed. It was going to be a LONGGGGGGGG day**

**~Back with Nicole~**

Maka: *twitch* Just…a…little…bit…longer…

**"Well let's get back to class" Nicole said**

**"Right" Kidd knodded**

**The both walked to class and entered sitting in their normal seat**

**"So Blindy's back" Clear says causing Nicole to get mad again**

Crona: Do you need more suggestions…? I can't really think of any that can be said in one word…

**"Nicole don't" Kid says holding her back**

**"Okay" Nicole say's settling down**

**~After class~**

Maka: *twitch* This fic will _not_ beat me…

Crona: *hugs Maka*

**"Wow the whole team is getting called down… Soul… Black*Star what did you two do" Nicole asked**

**"HEY" both Black*star and Soul yelled**

**"SUP thanks for commin"**

**"Hello lord death" everyone but Kidd said**

**"So whats up" Nicole asked**

**"Well there is this mission I need you guy's to go on. In Hawaii there is an army of pre-ketion's taking out people. But only people in water mostly surfer's and since your team is the only one with a person that knows how to surf then you guys are taking the mission." Lord Death cheered**

**"Um father No one on our team knows how to surf" Kidd commented**

**"Correction two people do" Crystal said**

**"Who" Maka asked**

**"NICKY-CHAN AND LILY-CHAN" Crystal said happly**

**Nicole ran out of the room**

Crona: …does she get offended by _everything_?

**I am veary sorry to say this but I will not be able to update for a month or two. :(**

**, from Nicky-chan**

Maka: …whichever deity or celestial being is responsible for this: _Thank you_.

*both then fall onto their trays*

/

The lights slowly came back on as Maka and Crona laid on their respective trays, the both of them feeling more tired, both physically and mentally, than they ever had before in their lives.

"I can't believe we actually made it through all of that…" Maka muttered.

"Me either…" Crona replied.

Maka slowly raised her head, staring at the screen in front of them. "I'm simultaneously impressed and disgusted by the fact that this fic has actually made me look back on some of the other things we've reviewed favorably…at least those fics _tried_ to write a story. The useless dialogue bits, the romances for the sake of romances, and telling us that things happened instead of showing us all proved just how utterly lazy this story is…I think its laziness actually rubbed off on me a bit. There's nothing else I want to say."

Crona slowly sat up as well, rubbing his forehead. "Y-You pretty much covered everything anyway…"

Maka looked over at Crona, a small frown on her face. Crona blinked once he noticed it.

"W-What is it?"

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier…why do you think Kim has a crush on you?"

Crona flustered slightly, looking away.

"W-Well…it's just that I keep finding her wherever I go now…at the party at Kid's, at school the day you stayed home…one or two other times besides that…"

Maka shrugged. "Those are probably just coincidences…"

"I-It's not just that…she keeps looking at me funny…"

Maka tilted her head. "How so?"

"She looks at me like…like when Professor Stein looks at someone…like he's studying them or something…"

"…so you think Kim is…"studying" you?"

"I-I know it doesn't make a lot of sense…"

Maka frowned, turning away and leaning forward. She placed a hand under her chin, brow furrowed and lips pursed, carefully thinking about the situation and trying to find an answer.

"…it does seem a bit unusual…but I don't think it means she has a crush on you…"

…_wait._ Maka suddenly thought. She sat back up and looked over at Crona, who was still looking down at the floor. _…is this because…does he…?_

"Um…Crona?" Maka asked.

Crona turned to look at her. "Y-Yes?"

He was a little confused as to why Maka's eyes were off to the side.

"Is this…" Maka started. "I mean…if this is because you _want_ Kim to have a crush on you-"

The words were out of Crona's mouth before he could stop himself.

"N-No! Nononono_no_! I-I don't even know her that well! A-And she's with Ox…and I definitely couldn't deal with being caught up in that!"

"OK, OK, relax Crona!" Maka answered, holding her hands up in front of her. "I was just making sure…"

Crona breathed a small sigh. The two of them soon got to their feet, and started walking towards the stairs.

"Anyway…" Maka continued. "That does sound a bit weird for Kim, but I don't think she has a crush on you. She may not show it, but she does care about Ox, and I don't see her wanting to ruin that."

She placed a hand on Crona's shoulder as they ascended the stairs.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, OK?" Maka assured him, a comforting smile on her face.

Crona stared at Maka for a second, then returned her smile with one of his own.

"O-OK…thank you, Maka…"

"You're welcome."

_She better not have a crush on him…_ Maka thought as she moved her hand away from Crona. _…wait, where did THAT come from? So someone might be interested in Crona. That's not unusual or anything! I mean, he's good-looking and all…wait, wait, did I just call him "good-looking"?_

Maka quickly looked down, hoping Crona wouldn't see her face getting red. _OK, just stop. It's just because you don't want to see him get hurt. Him getting caught up in a relationship mess between Ox and Kim would definitely hurt him. That's all there is to it. If it was someone else, it wouldn't be such a big deal…right?_

Keeping her head lowered, she glanced over at Crona, thankful he was blissfully unaware of what was going through her mind.

…_I'm just looking out for him. Like I always do. …right?_

/

*falls over* Holy. Fucking. Shit. I am FINALLY done!

I'm going to have to take a day or two off to recover from this monstrosity. In the meantime, I'm gonna have to ask you guys for help once again.

Yep, it's guest star time again here at EiCS: SE. So, I'm going to need you guys to find a story featuring…either Stein, Marie, or both. I'm counting on you.

And if you didn't send fanmail or recommendations before, now's the time to do so, since this fic is FINALLY DONE.

See you when I've recovered.


	21. Revelations

It didn't make any sense.

That was the only thought going through Crona's mind as he sat in his seat at the theater. No one else had come with him. No summons had been made, and there was nothing to review. He had come here of his own will, because if there was any place that could provide answers, it was this.

It didn't make any sense.

The random information had betrayed him. New bits and pieces were given to him, but they were inconsistent with what he already knew. It didn't match what he knew to be absolute fact. Yet the information was no less true, he knew that much. Even so, it didn't match.

It didn't make any sense.

Crona looked up at the screen, remembering the cameras behind it. When did they turn off? Did they ever turn off? Were they being used right now? Was he being watched right this minute?

Could he see him?

Crona sighed, slowly getting to his feet. Just thinking about what could be wouldn't get him anywhere. It was a desperate attempt, and it seemed almost foolish. Yet, it was all he had. If anyone could help, it was him.

But Crona knew so little about him. Would he even be willing to help? Was he just the curious creature he made himself out to be? Or was he as cruel as he proved, time and again? Would he just leave Crona to suffer in confusion?

It was a small chance. Yet it was all Crona had.

He slowly looked up at the screen, and began to speak.

"…are you there?" Crona called out. "Can…can you see me? Are you watching me right now…?"

Crona's only response was silence. He decided to continue.

"Please…I don't know who else to turn to…this…this doesn't make any sense…you have to know what's going on. You're the only one who would…please…help me…"

There was no answer.

Crona stood there silently, waiting as patiently as he could for something, anything that proved that he was there. That he would be willing to listen. That he could and would help.

Minutes passed, and there was still nothing.

Crona sighed, turning to face the stairs. He was on his own in this regard. Perhaps it was just a delusion, a fantasy of his twisted mind, playing tricks on him and confusing reality with dreams.

The screen suddenly lit up, causing Crona to look back at it. The screen remained white, yet was now lighting up the whole room.

A loud screeching sound suddenly rang out over the sound systems, causing Crona to cover his ears in pain. It was unlike anything Crona had heard before. It was a strange, mechanical sound, yet it had an almost melodic tone to it.

The sound ended with a loud _CLICK_. Crona slowly uncovered his ears, eyes back on the screen.

A thin black line appeared horizontally, clearly dividing the top and bottom halves of the screen. Crona blinked in confusion, not really understanding just what was going on.

He heard a small shuffling sound come over the sound system. It was followed by a few seconds of almost painful silence.

Finally, a voice rang out.

"**Crona Makenshi. At last we speak."**

Crona gulped slightly, now more nervous than before, having finally got the being's attention. He noticed that his voice was a strange monotone, having a somewhat metallic sound to it. It made him sound more machine than man.

For some reason, Crona suspected that this wasn't his true voice.

"**You have asked that I speak to you. Have you nothing to say?"**

Crona shivered, quickly trying to think of something to say. The last thing he wanted was to make this one angry.

"W-Who…who are you…?"

A few seconds of silence followed, before the voice spoke again.

"**You have started to refer to me as The Host. So, that is what I will go by."**

Crona watched as the black line warbled and waved with each syllable that was spoken. It was strangely hypnotic, which caused Crona to quickly look away. The last thing he needed to do right now was get distracted.

"**The situation must be quite serious for you to call out to me. Has something happened?"**

Crona sighed. _Is he playing games with me?_

"Y-You know what's happened…" he answered. "You have to know…"

Crona looked back up at the screen. The Host gave him nothing except the same monotone voice.

"**Yes, I do. The newest chapter of your story has been written, correct?"**

_Why is he doing this…?_ Crona wondered. _It's almost like he wants me to explain everything…_

"Y-Yes…" he began. "The others…they're all getting ready to fight Asura on the moon…but Maka…she's looking for me. She finds me back at the church…back where we first met…"

Crona started to shake, quickly pushing the memories of that night out of his mind.

"But…that's just it…"

Crona looked up at the screen, hoping The Host could see the confusion on his face.

"I never went back to the church. I never left that house. So…why am I seeing this?"

A few seconds of silence, and then a response.

"**An inconsistency. Truthfully, I did not expect one to arise so soon…yet it is an inconsistency nonetheless. Therefore, I will tell you the truth, as you deserve to know that much."**

Crona frowned, not liking the sound of that. What truth could he have been hiding from him?

"**You may wish to sit down for this, Crona Makenshi. There is much that must be said, and I am certain you will not like most of it."**

Crona definitely didn't like the sound of that. All the same, he did as The Host asked, sitting back down in his usual seat.

There were a few more seconds of silence, before The Host spoke again.

"**To the point, then."**

Crona leaned forward slightly, the suspense getting more and more difficult for him to bear.

"**You are not the real Crona Makenshi."**

For a moment, Crona thought his mind had simply shut down.

He couldn't even begin to fathom what he was just told. He'd already had to deal with being told he was a fictional character. Now he wasn't even that? What was he, then? Did it even matter anymore?

This was all too much for Crona to comprehend all at once. He simply sat there, his face frozen in shock, appearing almost catatonic to the outside onlooker.

"…**hm. I suspect I should've worded that differently."**

Crona snapped out of his state at the sound of The Host's voice.

"**My apologies. What I should've said was that you are not the canon Crona Makenshi."**

This didn't do anything to quell Crona's confusion.

"Wh…what am I, then…?"

"**Oh. Well, that's quite simple. You are an alternate Crona."**

"…a what?"

"**An alternate. Have you forgotten what I told you about alternate worlds? Where you turn left instead of right, and so on and so forth?"**

Crona frowned. He had forgotten, to be honest. It had been a few months ago, back when he first started the sessions. But it had felt like eons since that day, and there had been no mention of alternate worlds or anything since then…

"**Your entire world is an alternate one, Crona Makenshi. Everyone you know is an alternate version of the canon characters. Even the people who follow you to this very theater are alternates."**

Crona looked up. "D-Does that mean…?"

"**Yes. You are an alternate, just like Raven is an alternate. Just like Subarashii is an alternate. You were all alternates the moment I called you to enter this theater for the very first time. After all, do you really believe your creators would allow something like this to happen?"**

Crona simply stared at the screen, still utterly confused. He had to admit, however, that The Host had a point. He remembered Subarashii mentioning something about that once, and it made sense now that it was explained to him.

_Even so…what does it mean?_ Crona thought.

He jumped slightly when he heard The Host give a loud sigh.

"**However…even though you are all alternates, you are decidedly different from the other two."**

Crona fidgeted slightly. This didn't sound good.

"**Raven's story is complete. I could call her without concern of interfering with anything, for there was nothing to interfere with. Subarashii's story is very open. As a wanderer, there are a multitude of things that could happen to him, so him coming here was not an impossibility."**

There was a brief pause, before The Host continued.

"**Your story, however, was and is still incomplete. It is still ongoing right now. As such, there is still no way of knowing what your final fate will be. There are many possibilities, and many different alternate worlds that could spawn from just one of those possibilities. This was why I had to be a bit more…direct in my calling you."**

Crona stared at the screen. "I-I don't understand…what happened…?"

"…**I want you to do something, Crona Makenshi."**

"W-What…?"

"**I want you to think back to that night."**

Crona blinked. "What do you mean…?"

"**You know which night I speak of."**

Crona froze. It wasn't difficult to figure out what The Host was talking about. And he wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. More than anything, he wished that he could just forget that that night ever happened.

But, if it could give him the answers he so desperately needed…

"**It will become clear soon if you do as I ask."**

Crona flinched slightly. He wished that The Host would stop talking long enough for him to actually do as he asked.

He quietly leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

"**Good. Think back to that night where everything changed for you."**

It wasn't long before the memories came rushing back.

"**Think back to the night you killed your mother."**

/

The deed was done.

Blood was coating the walls and floor. Red blood, not black like Crona's. Crona couldn't see the little stick figures on the wall anymore. The red was too much. It was everywhere.

Crona looked down and saw that there was some on his own body. He rubbed his fingers on his clothes and looked at them. He frowned slightly at the red staining his fingertips.

Did his mother have red blood? Or was it black, like his? He never thought to ask. If she was his mother, wouldn't her blood be the same? But then, who was this person? This person who wrapped her arms around him and told him how proud she was?

He looked down at the mess on the floor. Wasn't it human at one point? It didn't look like it now. It looked just like a lump of flesh, something that only barely seemed like something that could get up and move around.

Crona raised Ragnarok slightly and poked the mess. No movement. He pushed forward slightly, and the sword pierced the lump yet again. How many times had he done that tonight? He had lost count after the first three. Still no movement.

Whoever this person was, she was clearly dead.

Was she ever his real mother? Maybe she wasn't. Maybe she had lied to him for all these years. Maybe his real mother was still out there somewhere, her blood as black as his. Who was this woman, then?

No one. Just an old hag. And now she was dead.

There was laughter. Ragnarok. It seemed as though all he had ever done lately was laugh. Some small part of Crona wanted to join in. It would feel good to laugh. He never had before. What would it be like?

But he couldn't. He should wait until Medusa said it was-

Oh, right. She was dead. The old hag was dead.

Crona paused while Ragnarok continued to cackle madly at seemingly nothing. What was he supposed to do now? Who was going to tell him what to do next? If Medusa was dead, who was going to give him orders?

What was he supposed to do?

_Go._ a voice told him. _Go out into the world. There are things out there you don't know how to deal with. Go out and kill them._

Kill the things he couldn't deal with?

That made sense. He couldn't deal with this hag telling him how she was proud of him. He couldn't deal with her giving him love. And he had killed her.

He could kill the other things. He could deal with that.

Crona turned and faced the door. He could hear Ragnarok laughing. He could hear the voice encouraging him to go. It wouldn't be so difficult with them guiding him.

He stepped forward.

He wasn't alone.

Crona looked around. There was something else in the room. He saw the table, the half-eaten pasta that was his dinner still waiting for him. He saw the mess that he had left behind that had once been a wretched old hag. He saw his old drawings, the stick figures telling him how to kill.

He looked at the door. A shadow was cast over it, covering most of that side of the room in darkness.

Whatever it was, it was in that shadow.

Crona could only barely make out a figure in there. Its form was human-shaped, yet it had no features to speak of. Not only that, but the outline was constantly distorting and changing. Almost like the creature was made of fog or mist.

"**Hello, Crona Gorgon."**

When it spoke, it was the strangest thing Crona had ever heard. Its voice seemed to change in pitch and tone with every syllable, making it nigh impossible to figure out just what it was.

More disturbing, however, was that it knew Crona's name.

"**What exactly are you planning on doing, Crona Gorgon?"**

He wasn't sure why, but Crona hated the fact that it kept using his last name.

He was starting to hate that name.

"…**nothing to say? Very well. I'll speak."**

The creature was starting to confuse Crona. He definitely didn't know how to deal with it.

He gripped Ragnarok tightly. Maybe he should just kill it and keep moving.

"**Are you leaving? But you haven't even finished your dinner."**

It was teasing him now. Crona didn't know how to deal with teasing.

_Just kill it already._ the voice told him. _It's in the way. You should just kill whatever gets in your way._

"**A lame joke. My apologies."** the creature continued. **"A more serious question then: Are you leaving because you want to leave?"**

Crona paused. Want to leave? What difference did it make what he wanted? The voice told him to leave, so it only made sense that he should.

What did he want, anyway?

"**I didn't think so. Don't you realize, Crona Gorgon? You're free now. You can do what you want for a change."**

Free? Like that werewolf that Medusa knew?

What did "free" mean, anyway?

"**Do you even know what you want?"**

Did the creature know that Crona was just thinking that?

That scared Crona a bit. He didn't like being scared. He was considering listening to the voice again.

_It's in your head, reading your thoughts._ the voice told him. _It's dangerous. You need to kill it._

"**I'm going to assume your silence means that you don't have an answer. But surely there must be something that you want. You can't be satisfied with what you have right now."**

That was certainly true. There were plenty of things Crona wanted. It didn't matter, though. He never got what he wanted. He had what he wanted once, but he had to give it up, because Medusa asked him to.

What was that thing he lost, anyway? He couldn't quite remember.

"**Do you know what an angel is, Crona Gorgon?"**

Crona stared at the figure. Why the sudden change in subject? And why ask him something like that? He wouldn't have any idea what-

Wait. Crona had read about those at one point. Angels were supposed to be beautiful, wonderful beings. With big white wings who descended from above, covered in bright light. Beings who came to forgive those who had done wrong and to help them achieve happiness.

He probably couldn't deal with a creature covered in light.

"**Would you like to see an angel?"**

Crona blinked. Angels were real? And he could see one?

_Don't listen to it._ the voice interrupted. _It's trying to trick you. Angels aren't real. Just hurry up and kill it._

That made more sense. Angels were always described as myths or legends. There's no way one could be real.

That disappointed Crona a bit.

"**She may not be exactly as what you would expect her to be, but I assure you, this angel is no less real."**

She? This angel was a girl?

Crona wasn't very good at dealing with girls. He had gotten better, though.

He just wished he knew how he did.

"**You don't even have to do anything to see her. All you have to do is wait here, and she'll come to you."**

That was all? Just stay in the house and he could meet an angel?

That sounded very easy to deal with. Much easier than actually going out and killing things.

_It's lying!_ the voice told him, now very angry. _You don't want to see an angel! You want to go out and kill! Go and do it NOW!_

Crona frowned. Why was the voice suddenly so upset? And why was it telling Crona what he wanted? Medusa never did that. She just ignored what Crona wanted. She never told him that he wanted to be a Kishin, or that he wanted to kill people.

Who was this voice to tell him what he wanted?

"**The choice is yours, Crona Gorgon."** the creature stated. **"You could leave this house and go cause havoc if you really wanted to. I have no means of stopping you. That said, I don't think you should miss this opportunity. Not many people get to meet an angel. It's your decision, however."**

Crona couldn't deal with making decisions. But then again, he'd never really been given the chance to.

What did he want? What was it that Crona wanted right then?

He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to see this angel.

So, he turned around and walked towards the table. He grabbed the chair that he had sat in earlier and turned it around so that it faced the door. He quietly sat down in it, watching the door.

In the time it took him to do this, the creature had vanished.

The voice was screaming at him now, telling him to get up and go kill. He ignored it. He didn't like that voice anymore. Ragnarok had since gone quiet. Maybe he wanted to see the angel too. Crona didn't care.

Just this one time, he was going to try doing something on his own. Maybe he could deal with this angel. Maybe he'd be happy to see her.

He wondered if she would be as beautiful as the legends said.

/

Crona slowly opened his eyes, the realization quickly dawning on him. At first, he had thought that the figure was just a figment of his then-twisted mind. Now, however, it was very clear who it really was.

"…that was you…" he said, staring at the screen.

The room was silent for a few moments, before The Host spoke again.

"**It was a few days before that night when I decided to start this project. I had already started making the preparations when it happened. It was then that I realized the dire straits you were in. That was the turning point in your life, where you could either finally grow and become the good person you truly are, or descend further into madness and destruction, possibly becoming the next Kishin. It didn't help that it was painfully clear that your mother manipulated you into committing the act."**

Crona flinched. He hated to admit it, but The Host was right about that.

"**All I could do was appear before you and attempt to convince you to do something different. That was the extent of my powers. And for the record, it drained a lot out of me, so I had to wait for a long time before I could officially begin the project. Six months, to be exact."**

Crona blinked. _Six months? Has it really been that long since that day…?_

"**Was I not right, however? Didn't you get to see your angel?"**

Crona twitched, quickly getting very angry with The Host.

He didn't deserve to call Maka that.

"…**you have changed considerably, Crona Gorgon-"**

"Don't call me that!"

Looking back, Crona would be very surprised at how angry he was. But then again, it wasn't entirely surprising.

He hated that name. He hated everything that came with it, every meaning and bit of history behind it. He wanted nothing to do with that name.

"…**right, sorry. Old habit. Anyway, you have changed…Crona Makenshi. The older you would've buried your thoughts, emotions, and feelings deep within himself, hoping to avoid any sort of trouble that would come with showing them. Now you're starting to show them, to let them free for the worlds to see. Starting, however, is the key term. You aren't completely open with your emotions…or your feelings."**

Crona flinched. _He isn't talking about…_

"**Even now, you're showing considerable anger and hatred towards me. Do you feel I have manipulated you? Or is it because of everything you have endured? Do you blame me for that?"**

Crona didn't answer. He wasn't entirely sure if he did blame The Host for what happened. He didn't make the stories that he had seen, but he did force them to watch. He brought in his friends to experience the same, and he knew he'd bring in more. Raven thought that he took an almost sick pleasure in it, but Crona didn't know what to think.

"**Well, since you appear to be very eager in showing your emotions to me, perhaps there is one in particular you can clarify for me."**

Crona blinked in confusion. _What does he mean by that…?_

"**I am going to ask you a question, Crona Makenshi. It is a very simple question. Yet it will require much thought, I am sure of that."**

Crona frowned, not understanding anything he was saying.

"**Are you happy?"**

Crona froze. The question came out of nowhere, and it didn't make a lot of sense. Why ask him something like that?

"E-Excuse me…?"

"**As I said, it's a very simple question. Are you happy with your life? Are you happy, even with everything you've experienced up until this point? Are you still happy, knowing that you are not, in fact, the canon Crona?"**

Crona stared at the screen. Why would he ask him that? What did it have to do with anything? Why would he even care?

…_I don't want to tell him anything._ Crona thought.

"…pass."

The room was quiet for a short while, before Crona heard an annoyed sigh come from the speakers.

"**I'm sorry, Crona Makenshi, but this is not a question you can ignore. Nor can you come back to it later. You must answer, here and now."**

"Why?" Crona suddenly blurted out. "W-Why is it so important that I tell you now? What's going to happen when I answer?"

"…**you are smarter than people give you credit for, Crona Makenshi."**

_Wait, what?_ Crona thought, even more confused than before.

"**There is something at stake, and your question will help determine what happens next. This is another turning point for you, Crona Makenshi. Your answer will help decide what path not only you, but your entire world takes."**

Crona stared at the screen in disbelief. It sounded far too big for him, far too much responsibility for him to deal with. But it didn't sound like The Host was giving him much choice in the matter.

"**Depending on what you say, I will do one of two things. I may decide to leave your world alone. It will continue to develop and grow in its own way, as it has already started to. Your life will continue along the path it's currently on. The canon universe will not affect your world in any way from this point on."**

The Host took a breath before continuing.

"**However…depending on what you say, I may decide to change things. If I feel I must, I will go back to that night and prevent myself from speaking to you. In doing so, I will erase this alternate universe's existence."**

Crona's eyes widened. The Host was essentially putting the fate of everyone he knew and loved into his hands. How could he possibly expect him to make a choice regarding that?

"**You will still exist, in a form. You will return to the canon universe, back to that night, and the events that are set to happen will continue from there. However, your future will be uncertain once again. There's no way of knowing what will happen to you, or to anyone else. Only your creator knows that. I will have to erase the alternate universes for Raven and Subarashii as well, in order to make things even. Nothing that happened at this theater will be real. They will be erased from existence, as though it never happened to begin with."**

Crona slowly lowered his head, the implications of this choice becoming very clear. If he wanted to, he could keep living this life. This false life. Canon wouldn't affect them in any way. The possibilities were endless. Maybe he wouldn't have to worry about his mother returning yet again. Maybe he could just live a life of peace.

Maybe he and Maka would-

_...they would be happy._ Crona thought. _I would be happy…_

But it couldn't be perfect. If things continued as they were, they would have to keep coming back to the theater. They would have to endure more and more torture. More of his friends and loved ones would have to go through this. And Crona wasn't sure how much more he could stand to take.

If he chose to change things, to have The Host erase their universe, then they wouldn't have to keep coming back. They never would've come to begin with. None of them would've had to learn of their fictional nature, or be forced to watch countless false interpretations of themselves. They could just go back to where they were, when things seemed so simple. When they knew who the enemies were and what they looked like. When they knew who they were.

"…do it."

Crona's voice was shaking. He felt as though he was marching to his own death.

For all he knew, he might've been.

"Ch…change it back…I don't want them to suffer anymore…they'd…they'd be happier with things back to normal…go ahead. Do it."

He didn't entirely understand what he was doing. All he thought was that he was making things better for them. He didn't know what was going to happen to him next. He didn't know if he'd live long enough to even see Maka again, much less be with her.

_Maybe I never had a chance to begin with…_ Crona thought.

When The Host finally spoke, Crona was surprised at the stern nature of his voice.

"**You have misunderstood my request, Crona Makenshi."**

Crona looked up, his surprise evident in both his face and voice. "W-What…?"

"**I asked you to answer a question for me. That question was not "what should I do?" You will not make this decision for me, you will simply give me your thoughts on the matter. Nothing more."**

Crona was furious. He was tricked, he reasoned. The Host had tricked him into thinking he could do something, that he could make a difference, and instead just yanked his collar some more.

"You-"

"**However, you have introduced a possibility to me. The possibility of you lying to me to protect or save your friends. Rest assured, I am now ready for that, and I will not let you do such a thing."**

Crona looked down and noticed that his hands were shaking. Whether it was out of fear or anger, he wasn't entirely sure.

"**I will ask you the question again. And you will answer truthfully. If you lie to me, whatever your reasons are, then I will punish you. I won't tell you what I will do to you, if only to let you create scenarios in your mind. I will tell you this much, however…"**

Crona shivered as The Host's voice changed to one filled with malice.

"**If you think I've been cruel to you before, you will find that I can be much worse when I don't get what I want."**

The room filled with silence once again, Crona trying as hard as possible not to give in and finally speak.

"**Once again…are you happy?"**

Crona clamped his mouth shut, determined not to speak. If he couldn't lie, then he just wouldn't say anything. He would have to give up sooner or later, and then Crona could just go home and move on. Maybe he'd come back, maybe he wouldn't. It didn't matter, he just wanted to be as far away from The Host as possible.

_I won't tell him._ he thought. _He'll have to let me go eventually._

_No, he won't. He could keep me here forever if he wanted to._

_How do I know he can even do that?_

_You don't know WHAT he can do! You have no idea what he's capable of!_

_He's not willing to lock me up here until the day I die!_

_You don't know that! He's invaded your world and changed things to his liking, he can do whatever he wants!_

_I'm not going to give in! I'm not going to be manipulated by him! I'm not going to be manipulated by anyone!_

_You don't have a choice! This isn't the time to be worrying about your pride, your life is at stake!_

_It doesn't matter what happens to me!_

_Yes it does! Maka won't be happy if you get yourself killed for nothing! This isn't protecting her or anyone! It's just answering a simple question, so just tell him what he wants to hear! It's the truth, you know it's the truth, SO JUST TELL HIM!_

Crona got to his feet, his head lowered. His entire body was shaking violently, realizing that he had to give in.

"…what do you think…?"

Crona raised his head, showing The Host the tears pouring down his face.

"Happy? _Of course I'm happy_."

The Host didn't give any response, so Crona continued.

"I'm the happiest I've been in my entire life. I'm not out killing people just for the sake of it. I don't have to worry about Medusa coming back and making me betray the city again. I have friends who care about me. I'm…I'm with Maka every single day, and it's the greatest thing I've ever experienced."

Crona gave a shaky breath, all of the stress that had been building up over the months now pouring out.

"And you know that…you know that's the case. You know how I feel, you know what I think. You knew the answer to the question. So why even ask it? Why make me think I can make a difference and then make me tell you what you already know?"

Crona's voice had risen considerably, shaking with a combination of grief and frustration.

"What are you trying to accomplish? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you doing this to my friends? Why can't you just leave us all alone? Just what are you?"

Crona glared at the screen, breathing raggedly. He didn't expect The Host to respond, and was surprised in the calm nature of his voice when he did.

"**My dream is to understand everything. You already know that. That is why I am doing this. I plan on connecting all of the possible worlds together. Even if that does make them alternates, that does not make them any less real. Their…your interactions will be real. Your growth will be real. And I want to see it all happen. I want to see what would happen. For I have a curse, a curse that someone close to you possesses as well. The curse of curiosity."**

Crona flinched. _Close to me?_

"**Nothing can be gained without giving something in return. Equivalent Exchange and all that. You will have to suffer more in order for this dream to come true, but you will gain much as well. The mere fact that you can call a teenage superheroine your friend is proof of that. You will gain more friends as this goes on, of that I am sure. And isn't that what you want, in the end?"**

"Stop acting like you know me…" Crona whispered.

"**I don't know you personally, Crona Makenshi, but I know humans. Humans are social creatures. None of them want to be alone. And after everything you've been through in your life, I imagine that that's the last thing you want. I don't want to make you suffer anymore, but I will have to. I will not allow anything to stop me from completing my dream, now that so much progress has been made."**

The Host then sighed, leaving Crona to wonder why he sounded so relieved.

"**However, you did answer my question. So, I have decided. Your world will not change. You will continue living your life as it is. I will expect you to keep attending sessions, but should you choose not to, I can find a replacement."**

Crona twitched. The Host was playing with him again. As much as he would like to just give in and go home, never having to come back here, it wasn't fair to make someone else take his place.

"…I'll…I'll come back…" he muttered.

The Host gave a small hum before responding.

"**So self-sacrificing…I actually admire that about you, Crona Makenshi."**

Crona looked up in surprise, not expecting the compliment.

"**Your willingness to put others' needs before your own is a quality I find very fascinating. I wonder what drives you to want to protect people you may not even know? Whatever the case may be, it shows that I made the right choice when I picked you for this job."**

"…why me?" Crona asked before he could stop himself. "…why did you pick me?"

The Host gave another sigh, this one more sad than the others.

"**I am sorry, Crona Makenshi…but that is a question for another time."**

Crona sighed. _So, that's it? It's over? I'm free to go?_

"**I suggest you hurry home now. I am certain you'll want to."**

Crona blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about…?"

"**Did you forget? You aren't the only one who has seen the canon universe."**

Crona frowned, before his eyes quickly widened in understanding.

_Oh God! Maka!_

He quickly ran for the stairs, scaling them and heading out the door, not waiting for any goodbyes from The Host.

/

_How could I have been so stupid?_ Crona wondered as he dashed for Maka's apartment. _I should've brought her with me! She had to have seen it too! And I just disappeared on her!_

He ran up the stairs and came to a halt in front of Maka's door. He quickly fumbled for his key, temporarily forgetting where he put it.

_What if she thinks I ran away again? What if I betrayed her trust again? Why couldn't I just tell her where I was going instead of running off in a panic like-_

"Crona!"

Crona looked up, turning to the source of the voice.

Maka was standing at the other end of the hallway, having just ascended the stairs herself. She was breathing heavily, her face red from what Crona assumed was her running around.

Before Crona could say anything, Maka dashed forward and wrapped him up in a hug, whispering frantically into his ear.

"Oh thank God…you're here, you're OK…Oh thank God…"

An immense surge of guilt welled up inside of Crona. Just like he suspected, he made Maka worry about him. Worry when he could've just as easily gone to her before leaving, but instead panicked and acted without thinking.

Maka pulled away to get a look at his face, her hands on his sides.

"Crona, what happened? I saw the new chapter, but that didn't actually happen! I found you at Medusa's house, so why did it say differently? And where did you-"

Maka stopped when she noticed Crona staring at her, looking directly into her eyes.

"…Crona? Crona, what's wrong?"

Crona looked at every feature of Maka's face that he could see. Her deep, olive-green eyes. Her light blonde hair that reminded Crona of sand. Her small, yet very cute nose. Her lips that he wanted to touch with his own more than anything.

He was so close to giving her up. He almost did it, in some attempt to make her happy. To save her from the torture that was that theater. If The Host had listened to him, it would've been done, and they'd be separated again.

He viewed himself as selfish for thinking it, but he believed he just avoided making the biggest mistake of his entire life.

With that, he pulled Maka forward and wrapped her up in a tight hug, burying his face in her shoulder.

_Don't cry._ he ordered himself. _Don't you dare cry. You can't cry. You absolutely cannot cry now._

"Crona, what is it?" Maka whispered. "What happened? Is everything OK?"

"…I'm so sorry, Maka…" he replied, his voice very shaky. "I should've told you where I was going…"

"Where? Where did you go, Crona?"

"I'll explain…I'll explain everything…in a moment…"

He gave as gentle a squeeze as he could, giving a shaky sigh into Maka's shoulder.

"I'm just so happy to see you right now…"

It took a few seconds, but Crona felt Maka squeeze back. When she spoke, he could practically feel the relief in her voice.

"I'm happy to see you too, Crona…"

/

Author's Saving Throw, go!

So, yes, now you know the truth. This is an alternate continuity to the manga.

I initially planned on doing this in the event Crona was killed in the manga. However, the plan I had made was pretty concrete, and the latest chapter does things a bit differently. So, I had to enact it earlier than I expected.

Anyway, now there shouldn't be any more confusion. I hope.

For those of you who care, the Teen Titans spinoff should be starting very soon, so keep an eye out for that!

See you soon!


	22. Family

OK, before we get to the next review, I gotta get this little subplot all wrapped up.

This probably won't take very long, so if you've got a couple of minutes to kill, have a read.

WARNING: This might, _might_, be out of character for at least one of the two characters featured here. I'm not entirely sure. I don't even know why I'm posting a warning, but I guess it's because I've done that for most of the aside chapters already, and I do love a running gag.

So, away we go.

/

It wasn't all that often that Crona got the chance to properly relax. Not that he didn't want to, but he found it very difficult to find a time or place to actually do so.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy spending time with Maka. That would be the absolute farthest from the truth. But in between that, the events at the theater, and school, it seemed as though Crona had almost no time to himself, except for when he went home for the day. And as strange as it was for him, he actually found himself wanting at least a few moments alone.

Which was why he had The Tree.

Granted, it wasn't the most original name in the world, but that was simply what it was. A tree in Death City was more than unusual, considering how heavily industrialized it was. The fact that the city was smack in the middle of the Nevada desert made it even more unusual. Yet, somehow, Lord Death had made it so.

The Tree was a part of a rather small park that had been set up for the younger residents of Death City. The basic parts of any playground were there. A jungle gym, a swing set, one of those spinning things Crona could never remember the name of, and a bench here or there. It was because of this that Crona didn't go to The Tree as often as he liked. He didn't want to upset any parents of scared children or anything.

Today, however, the stars had aligned in his favour. It was a rather cool day, yet the sun was still high and there were enough clouds to give the sky a picturesque appeal. There was no one around the park that day, for reasons Crona wasn't all too sure of.

Maka and Soul were on a Death Scythe mission and would be gone for a day or two. He would probably start missing them very quickly (especially since he was staying at their place to keep an eye on Blair), but for the time being, he was almost thankful that he could be alone.

He walked over to The Tree, thankful that the side with shade was facing away from the park. Even though he was alone, he knew someone could show up at any time. He thought that, if he couldn't be seen initially, he might get a few extra minutes before having to leave.

He quietly sat down under The Tree, slouching down slightly to better relax. He then placed his hands on his stomach and looked up.

Thankfully, there was no laughing sun in his sight to distract him from the clouds. The white, fluffy clusters of condensed water that came in all shapes and sizes lazily drifted about the beautiful blue sky, and there were more than enough of them for Crona to watch.

He started pointing out the interesting shapes to himself, but without Maka there to do it with him, it didn't feel the same.

_No._ he told himself. _Don't start missing her yet. You start now and you won't be able to stop. You need this moment, and you know it._

Thankfully, a small breeze came along right then, pulling him out of his thoughts. As the wind gently began to caress the leaves of The Tree, Crona closed his eyes.

If there was one thing he missed about the days when Ragnarok was more powerful, it was being able to fly. He never got the chance to truly enjoy it, but during those brief moments where he was in the sky, he felt free. Like he could just drift about like the clouds and not have to worry about anything. With all his cares and concerns so far beneath him that they weren't even worth noticing.

Then Ragnarok would usually remind him that they had a mission to accomplish and it was back to reality. He would have to worry about whatever it was Medusa told him to do, and those brief moments of serenity felt even shorter.

Yet here, under The Tree, with the sound of the rustling leaves filling his ears, he could at least pretend he was flying.

He was back among the clouds, soaring through the blue sky, the wind filling his wings once again. There was no Medusa to tell him what he had to do. No responsibilities. No worries. No concerns.

Just him drifting along the endless sky…

"So this is where you hang out."

Crona's eyes quickly opened, his head turning to look at the source of the voice. He was surprised, and more than a bit worried, when he saw the now-familiar mess of pink hair.

Kim leaned against the trunk of the tree, flashing Crona a smile.

"'Sup?"

"H-Hi Kim…"

Kim moved off of the trunk and sat beside Crona, slouching slightly to mimic his posture.

"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"

"N-No…go ahead."

Kim then looked up at the sky, eyes widening slightly.

"Oooh, this is a nice spot…"

Crona gave a slight "mm" in reply.

"I can see why you'd like to hang out here."

"Yeah…not that often, though…"

"Oh?" Kim replied, turning her head to look at Crona. "How come?"

"Not a lot of time to do so…"

"Oh, yeah, I get that. Life getting in the way of life and all that."

"R-Right…" Crona answered, not really understanding what Kim meant.

Silence quickly fell between the two of them as they both stared at the sky. Crona, however, couldn't enjoy himself, as his thoughts refused to let him.

Though Maka had assured him that Kim had no romantic feelings for him, some part of his mind had its doubts. And that part of his mind was telling other parts of his mind and they were starting to agree with that part and sure enough, he was becoming convinced that Kim did, in fact, harbor something of a crush on him.

The fact that she continued to show up wherever he was only further increased his suspicions. He was almost willing to believe that that dream he once had about him thinking Kim was his sister had something to do with it, but that was far too implausible for even him to consider.

_Not to mention that would only make things even weirder…_ Crona thought, trying to not shudder while doing so.

He decided to simply sit there and remain quiet, hoping Kim would eventually get bored and leave. Maybe then she'd decide to leave him alone.

"So…"

Crona turned to look at Kim, who was now sitting up properly, looking at him.

"Can I talk to you about something? …something important?"

…_uh-oh._ Crona thought.

"U-Um…w-what, exactly?" he asked.

Kim sighed, hugging her knees to her chest, clearly embarrassed about something.

"W-Well…it's kind of…oh geez, this is weird…"

Crona blinked when he noticed a blush coming over Kim's face, which only made him even more worried about what she was going to say.

_Don't let this be what I think it is…_ he thought.

"It's…it's sort of hard to explain…" Kim continued.

_Please let it be anything else please please please please…_

"See…I've been thinking a lot about you lately…"

Crona's eyes widened, his mind telling his body to start running but being blatantly ignored. Kim remained curled up, not looking at him.

"It's stupid…but I thought about this a bit…"

_No no no no no no no no_ was the only thought running through Crona's mind right then.

"And I figured…well…maybe there was a chance we could be-"

"Wait!"

Kim turned to look at Crona, who was holding both of his hands up, his entire body shaking like a leaf. Only one thought was prominent in his head.

_PANIC_!

"W-We don't even know each other that well, Kim! We've only started talking recently! And you're with Ox, and there's someone else, and I don't know the first thing about relationships, and I can't deal with breaking people up, and this is all happening so fast, and I don't know what the kids would look like-"

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa _whoa_!" Kim interrupted, holding up both of her hands as well. "What are you talking about?"

Crona stared at Kim, now completely confused and still more than slightly panicked. The two of them looked at one another for a few moments, before Kim's eyes slowly widened in understanding.

"…wait…do you think I have a crush on you or something, Crona?"

Crona blinked. "…y-you mean you don't?"

"_No_!" Kim practically shouted. "God no! No! Just…no!"

She shook her head, quickly reorganizing her thoughts. "I-I mean, no offense or anything, Crona-"

"N-None taken…"

"But you're definitely not my type! And I like Ox, and this would just be…"

"R-Really weird…"

"Yeah, exactly!"

She rubbed her forehead for a moment, thinking about what she had started to say.

"…God, was that what it sounded like? A confession?"

"A-A bit…"

"Oh, geez, I'm sorry Crona…"

"I-It's OK…"

Kim sighed, smacking her own forehead. "Knew I should've thought this through…"

Crona breathed a sigh of relief, glad that his suspicions were, for once, not true. However, there was still a matter to solve.

"…so…if that wasn't it, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Kim sighed, leaning back against the trunk of The Tree.

"Well…I'm not so sure I want to tell you now…"

"Y-You said you were thinking about me a lot…"

Kim flinched. "…I did say that, didn't I?"

Crona nodded. _Not something you can just take back…_

Kim looked away from Crona, uncurling her legs and stretching them out a bit.

"…I'd have to ask you something pretty personal first…"

Crona frowned, tilting his head. "Personal…?"

"About when you were still with…well, _her_…"

Crona tensed, not needing Kim to explain who she was talking about. _Why would she need to ask about her…?_

He took a quick breath, then nodded. "G-Go ahead…"

Kim waited a few seconds, then sighed, her hands fidgeting in her lap.

"Well…when you were with her…did she ever say anything about…siblings?"

Crona stared at Kim, his mind almost unable to comprehend just what was going on.

…_is she actually considering…?_

"N-No…never…why?"

Kim sighed, shaking her head. "Nothing. It was a stupid thought anyway…"

"N-No…what…?"

_Wait, why am I asking…?_ Crona wondered. _It's just a crazy thought…she'll probably go if I just let her…_

"Well…" Kim started, running a hand through her hair. "…thing is, I never knew my real parents. I was raised by the coven my entire life. Any one of them could've been my mom. And I figured…well, Medusa was a witch…"

She fidgeted slightly, looking away from Crona.

"So I thought that…maybe…we could be brother and sister…"

The area around them grew immensely quiet, Crona staring at Kim in disbelief. Somehow, the events in the dream he had were starting to come true, in some strange sense.

…_this is actually happening._ he thought. _…how did I dream this up…?_

"But it's a stupid thought." Kim continued, turning and flashing Crona a smile. "I mean, all I have to go on is some murky backgrounds and the fact that we have the same hair colour."

She then pointed up at Crona's head. "It's not even the same shade as mine, anyway."

Crona instinctively reached up and patted his own head, not sure of what to say in response.

Kim flashed a forced grin again. "This was just me being dumb, that's all. I mean, I was just fooling myself into thinking I could find out what it'd be like to have family. Pretty stupid, right?"

If Crona had been thinking of something to say right then, it would've been immediately forgotten.

He realized that, in a sense, he and Kim were very similar. The both of them had been isolated in some way, only interacting with a few people in total. Yet while Kim wanted to find some sort of connection to her family, Crona wanted nothing more than to get away from his. He never experienced the sort of love that Kim wanted, and he wasn't sure he wanted it.

He saw Kim turn away, quickly wiping at her eyes. He felt a sudden pang of sorrow, and was surprised that he did.

"Anyway…" Kim muttered, starting to get to her feet. "Sorry to waste your time-"

"W-Wait…"

Kim stopped, surprised at the pleading look on Crona's face. She hovered for a few seconds, but soon obeyed, sitting back down and looking at Crona.

Maka never had to extend the olive branch to Crona, yet she did anyway. They had been enemies at the time, and she still saved him from the loneliness and isolation that he had suffered through for fifteen years. He was terrified to go back to that, hoping against all else that he would never experience that feeling ever again.

It was in this that he realized why Kim's situation bothered him so:

It wasn't fair for anyone else to feel the loneliness he felt.

"Kim…" Crona started, now kneeling in front of her, rubbing his arm nervously. "I don't…I don't know anything…about being a brother…"

_I hope I know what I'm getting into…_ he thought.

"But…I-I could try…i-if you like…"

Kim stared at Crona in shock, hardly believing her ears. Here she was, telling someone she barely knew about some bizarre, desperate fantasy of hers, and he was basically offering to give her what she wanted. He was telling her that he'd be willing to at least pretend to be related to her, in the hopes she could know what it was like to have some sort of family.

She watched him for a few moments, his head lowered, almost waiting for an answer from her. When she spoke, her voice kept wavering.

"Crona…that's really sweet of you…" she started. "But I can't ask you to do something like that. Like you said, we hardly know each other…and besides, you shouldn't have to indulge some weird desire of mine. I mean, it's more likely that there's something wrong with me for…for wanting that…"

"I don't think there's anything wrong…"

Kim blinked. "You…you don't?"

Crona shook his head. "No…it just means you're lonely…"

Kim stared at him for a few more seconds, before looking away again. She gave a small sniffle, gently rubbing at her eyes.

"Kim…?"

"I guess…I guess I am a little lonely…" Kim explained. "I mean…I've got Jackie…I've got Ox…but it's just not quite the same, you know? Jackie's my best friend, and Ox is my boyfriend…I couldn't imagine either of them like a sibling."

She looked back at Crona, moving so that she was kneeling in front of him. "I guess I figured that because we don't know each other that well, that I could somehow make myself look at you that way…but, really, I could've used anyone and it would've been the same…"

Crona forced a weak smile onto his face. "I-It's OK…I would've been a bad brother anyway…"

Kim blinked in surprise. "What makes you say that?"

"I wouldn't know how to deal with having a sister, is all…"

"…well…what can you deal with?"

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity, Crona took a breath, then slowly raised his hand, holding it out to Kim.

"…being your friend." he answered, looking directly at Kim. "I can deal with that."

Kim looked back at Crona, before looking down at his hand. She looked back up at him, then gave a small smile, reaching with her own hand and shaking his.

"I'd like that."

Crona smiled back, only to be surprised when Kim suddenly leaned closer and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight.

He paused for a few moments, before doing the same to her, gently patting her back while holding her.

…_is this how Maka felt when she became my friend?_ Crona wondered. _It feels…nice…_

It was a strange sort of warmth that he got from hugging his newest friend. It wasn't the same that he got from Maka. He felt like he had accomplished something. Like he had made a difference in someone else's life. And it felt wonderful.

…_I wonder if she'll be proud of me when I tell her about this…_

And just like that, the slight pangs of longing for the girl he cared about more than anything started happening.

The two of them soon separated, Kim wearing a bright, happy smile on her face. Said smile quickly turned to a cheekier one, much to Crona's surprise.

"So…" she started, poking Crona's shoulder. "Now that we're friends…care to tell me who this "someone else" is?"

Crona blushed brightly, quickly looking away. "I-I-I don't know what you're talking about…"

"I distinctly heard you say "there's someone else"."

"I-I was just making excuses…"

"Suuuuuuuure you were. I bet I can guess who it iiiiiiis…"

"B-Bet you can't…"

"Oh, really? And just who were you visiting when you skipped class a few days ago?"

"H-How did you hear about that?"

"I always keep an ear to the ground when it comes to a good story, Crona. Besides, you practically had a panic attack when you ran into me that day."

"…am I…really that obvious about it?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

/

Yeah, I just couldn't leave this alone. Once an idea gets into my head, it just refuses to budge.

Review coming soon.


	23. Story 10: Creepy And Kooky

OK then, here we have the next review, and the next guest star episode! And possibly the last for this fic. I might have one or two more in mind, but I won't make any promises. We'll have to wait and see.

Today's fic comes recommended by one Mr Drill. As always, if you agree or disagree with the choice, you know who to talk to.

Enjoy!

/

Crona was quickly starting to realize that being wrong wasn't as good a thing as he thought it would be.

The last time there was a "guest star", he'd been told that there would be more. But Crona couldn't think of who else would be brought in. The Host seemed to have been targeting his immediate circle of friends, and he had just finished bringing them in. He had only just made friends with Kim, so it seemed unlikely that she would be a target.

Being something of a pessimist, Crona assumed that if he was wrong about something, it was usually a good thing, as being right about something would mean something bad.

It was almost ironic that he was wrong about that too.

"Crona? Are you alright?"

Crona looked up at the source of the voice, faltering slightly, knowing he'd have to tell a small lie to the smiling face.

"I'm a-alright…Professor Marie…"

Marie tilted her head slightly, but made no comments as she turned and resumed walking down the hall, leading towards the doors that went into the theater.

Crona glanced beside him to see Maka staring at him, her concern for him clearly evident on her face. She was right to feel that, as Crona was absolutely miserable.

And what was particularly frustrating was that he wasn't entirely sure why.

"I'm actually kinda surprised you wanted to go to the movies with us." Marie said, looking back and giving the two another smile. "I didn't think you'd want to hang around with a couple of old squares like us."

"Marie." a voice called from further ahead. "I may not be a linguistics expert, but I'm fairly certain children today no longer use the term "old square"."

Marie sighed, running slightly to catch up with the tall, lab coat-wearing figure ahead of her. She gave him a slight tap on the shoulder once she did.

"Oh, like you would know anything about what the kids are saying today, Frank."

Stein looked at her, showing slight confusion on his face. "…didn't I just say I didn't?"

Crona looked at Maka, clearly confused at the term "old square" that Marie used. Maka shook her head.

"I'll explain later." she muttered.

Crona gave a small sigh, his thoughts returning to just why he felt like total garbage right then.

Obviously Marie had been incredibly nice to him (for reasons he still couldn't wrap his head around), but that couldn't have been the sole reason for it. Maybe it was because Marie had been exceptionally affectionate towards him lately, even if he wasn't entirely sure why. Not only that, but Stein had been a bit more…understanding lately. He hadn't been all that upset when Crona had disappeared from class that one day, and actually gave him the work he had missed. It was utterly baffling to Crona.

But it couldn't just be because the two of them were being so nice to him. There had to be something more to it. He viewed each of the other guest stars as his friends. How did he view Marie and Stein? How were they related to him?

Of course, there was one possibility that could be the case…

…_but he wouldn't bring them in just because of that…_ Crona thought. _…would he?_

He looked up to notice that Stein and Marie had stopped further ahead in front of the twin doors. Crona and Maka had slowed down in their walking, the both of them watching Stein open and close one of the doors repeatedly.

"…the hinges are loose." Stein observed.

_Probably from Subarashii kicking it in so many times…_ Crona thought.

"That's great, Frank." Marie remarked. "Can we go inside now?"

Stein turned to her, frowning slightly. "Shouldn't we wait for Maka and Crona?"

Marie turned to look back at the two of them, and Crona was surprised to see a look of what appeared to be understanding suddenly come over Marie's face. She quickly turned back and linked her arm with Stein's, flashing him another smile.

"Oh, they'll catch up soon enough. Let's go get our seats!"

Marie then pushed the door open and started to pull Stein inside, but not before looking back at Maka and Crona and giving them a wink. (or so Crona assumed, with her eyepatch making things a little confusing) The two of them soon disappeared, with Marie giggling something about how she "felt like she was on a date" as they entered the theater.

Maka and Crona soon stopped in front of the doors, neither of them moving to enter just yet. Maka turned to look at Crona, who was staring down at the floor, rubbing his arm as per his habit.

"…how're you holding up?"

Crona simply shook his head, not looking up at Maka.

Maka moved closer to him and wrapped him up in a hug, squeezing him gently. A few seconds later, Crona turned and did the same to Maka, resting his face in her shoulder.

"They're going to be OK. The others got through this. They will too."

Crona didn't make any sort of response at first, which only made Maka even more worried. She squeezed him tighter, hoping that it'd be encouraging for him.

"…Maka."

Maka pulled back to look at Crona's face. "What is it?"

Crona stared directly at her, his eyes not showing any sort of emotion. Maka hated to think it, but they looked almost dead.

"…you were the first one." Crona started. "He could've picked someone from Raven's or Subarashii's world…but instead he picked you. Then it was Soul. Then Black*Star and Tsubaki. Then Kid, Liz, and Patty. He targeted all of you…because I care about you. Because you're all my friends."

Crona looked at the doors before continuing. "And now he's brought them here…and I don't even know what to think of them. They've been so nice to me lately, but I don't know about them…and he brought them here."

He turned to look back at Maka, his voice now shaking as though he was about to start crying. "He's started targeting people I _might_ care about, Maka! No one I know is going to be safe! Everyone at the DWMA…everyone in Death City could be in danger just because they know me!"

"Crona, please…" Maka started, gently cupping Crona's face with her hands.

"…he's punishing me, Maka."

"Crona, no-"

"He is. He's punishing me for what I've done, and he's going after everyone that matters to me to do it. He's going to keep hurting people I care about to make me pay for everything bad I've ever-"

He was soon cut off by Maka pulling him back into a hug, gently pushing his face against her shoulder. It didn't take long for the tears to start coming.

Maka gently rubbed his back while holding him, shushing him quietly while he made frightened sobs into her shoulder. After a few minutes, his sobs quieted, and she heard his breathing slowly return to a calm rate.

"…I've said this a hundred times already, and I'll say it a hundred more if I have to." Maka whispered. "This isn't your fault, Crona."

She pulled back again, then reached up and gently wiped away the stray tears that were still on his face. "Besides, it doesn't make any sense that he would punish you. Why would he purposely alter the timeline just so he could hurt you more?"

Crona sniffled slightly, not answering Maka's question.

"…Crona, I didn't even have to fight you when I found you, remember?" Maka continued. "All we did was talk, and you were more than willing to come back. Why would he make things easier for us only to purposely hurt you later on?"

Crona simply shook his head, not having an answer for her.

Maka sighed, her hands moving away from his face and wrapping around his back.

"Crona, look at me."

Crona raised his head, noticing the determined expression on Maka's face.

"If, through some small chance, The Host was punishing you, then he is wrong to do so. He might have a ton of power backing him up, but he is not God, or anyone even remotely important in your life. He doesn't get to judge your actions, or decide what should be done in response."

She reached up and gently tilted his head forward, allowing their foreheads to touch. She gave a small sigh before continuing.

"But you're right…he has hurt you a lot…"

"Maka…"

"I know, I know, he's hurt me and the others too. Doesn't change the fact that you got hurt too. And trust me, he's gonna regret that."

Crona pulled back slightly to get a better look at Maka's face, which was wearing that confident smile that he loved so much.

"Trust me, if I ever meet him, I'll kick his omnipotent ass so hard, he'll become the only celestial being with a limp."

Crona stared at Maka for a few seconds, before a small smile came over his face.

Said smile quickly vanished when two ear-piercing screams rang out from the theater.

_Oh God, I forgot to warn them!_ Maka thought, as Crona tore away from her and burst through the doors so fast that Maka was surprised they hadn't been knocked clean off.

Crona frantically dashed down the stairs, both Marie's and Stein's prone forms on the floor at the bottom. He knelt down beside Marie, Maka running past him towards Stein.

"Professor Marie!" Crona cried out, shaking the curled-up body in front of him.

_Why her? Why did this have to happen to her too?_ he thought frantically.

Marie slowly uncurled, looking up at Crona. Crona tried to not focus on the tears streaming down her face.

She slowly sat up, her gaze not leaving Crona for a moment. Once she had fully risen, she quickly reached forward and pulled Crona into a hug, squeezing him tight.

Crona quickly did the same, thinking that Marie needed comfort right then.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" he whispered.

"It's OK…" she whispered back. "You have nothing to be sorry for…"

_How can she say that without even knowing what's going on?_ Crona wondered.

He was surprised to suddenly feel Marie's hands gently rubbing his back, pulling him as close to her as possible at the same time.

"Oh, Crona…" she whispered. "You poor, poor boy…"

That was the last thing Crona expected her to say right then.

…_she's…she's actually thinking about me?_

But it did make sense, to a degree. With the random knowledge now filling her mind, Marie now knew everything Crona had been through. Every experience the manga and anime had shown him go through. But the idea that she was thinking of him right then instead of herself…

Crona felt oddly warm then. It was different from whenever Maka hugged him, or that one time he and Kim had hugged. It was comforting, yet in a different sense. He felt safe. Secure. Like if there was anything to worry about, it could be dealt with. Yet there was something very strange about this feeling.

His eyes widened when he realized why. He had felt this once before. Only once before.

And it had ended in absolute disaster.

_NO._ he told himself. _This isn't her. It's Professor Marie. They're two completely different people. You can't do that, the real one is dead, she died a long time ago, you can't think about her, stop thinking about Professor Marie like this, stop it stop it STOP IT!_

"_Professor Marie_!"

Crona and Marie quickly pulled apart when they heard Maka's scream. They turned to look at her, only to see Stein.

He was sitting up, staring blankly straight ahead. Crona could only barely see past the glasses, but his pupils had shrunk, and his mouth was slightly open.

"…Frank?" Marie cautiously asked, moving closer to him.

Stein didn't answer, or give any indication that he had even heard Marie. He slowly raised a hand and reached into his lab coat.

"Frank, what are you doing?" Marie asked.

Crona could see Stein slowly pull out something he hoped he wouldn't see:

A scalpel.

"Frank, no!" Marie cried, grabbing onto Stein's arm. "This is not the time for dissecting! Put that down!"

Stein ignored her, gripping the scalpel tightly in his hand.

"Frank, stop it!" Marie yelled, trying to pry the scalpel from his hand.

Despite Marie holding onto him, Stein still gripped the scalpel, slowly pulling it back.

_Ragnarok, if you can hear me, HELP!_ Crona thought, reaching behind his back, hoping Ragnarok would be there.

It was too late, though. Stein swung his arm.

"_FRANK_!"

_SHLIK_.

Crona winced, his eyes closed for a fraction of a second. He quickly opened them, expecting to see either Marie or Maka bleeding…

…and was surprised to see Stein pressing the blade of the scalpel into his other hand.

The only sound that was heard then was Stein's shallow breathing, the other three watching as blood dripped down from the wound on his hand. Stein grit his teeth, keeping his eyes fixed on his hand.

"…Frank?" Marie whispered, looking back up at him.

Stein quickly pulled the scalpel away and threw it to the ground, the blade skidding along past Crona. He then started patting his coat with his other hand, looking for something.

"Cloth…where's the cloth…" Stein muttered.

Marie reached inside his coat and pulled out a strip of white cloth. "Here."

Stein snatched it out of her hand and wrapped it around his wound. After a few seconds of trying and failing to tie a knot one-handed, Marie reached over and did it for him, tying the cloth tight around his hand.

"Tighter."

Marie pulled the knot tighter, causing Stein to give a slight hiss of pain. She pulled away, looking up at him as he continued to give shallow gasps for air.

"Frank, are you-"

"I'm alright…" Stein breathed out. "I'm alright…"

Marie gently wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close while letting him stay seating. Both Maka and Crona were mildly surprised when Marie then gently kissed the side of Stein's head. She held Stein for a few more moments, his breathing slowly returning to normal.

She then looked behind her and waved Crona over. "Come here, Crona."

She turned and looked over at Maka. "You too, Maka. Come over here."

Crona and Maka looked at each other for a second, before they both obeyed and moved closer to Stein and Marie. Marie wrapped an arm around Crona's shoulders and pulled him closer, before looking at Maka again.

"Come on, big group hug, everyone…"

Maka moved closer to Crona, wrapping an arm around his back. Crona soon returned the gesture. Maka then cautiously wrapped her other arm around Stein's back, and Stein soon did the same to her.

Crona really wasn't sure what to think of his current situation. Some childish part of his head once thought that hugging both Maka and Marie at the same time would feel absolutely incredible, but he felt more awkward than anything else right then. Maybe it was because Stein was there too, or maybe the situation preceding it ruined the mood.

He looked up to suddenly find himself staring directly into Stein's eyes. Stein's expression was blank, yet Crona could see that strange look Stein always had in his eyes. Like he was studying or examining Crona, trying to confirm if something was true.

Maybe Stein had come to the conclusion that Crona had a while ago, but tried to not think about too much: that the two of them were very similar. They both struggled with the Madness. They were both outcasts, in their own ways. They both hid what they felt and who they were, for different reasons. And they both had someone to ground them in reality, in sanity.

…_is that why…?_ Crona wondered, before quickly pushing those thoughts aside. This definitely wasn't the time to dwell on that.

He felt Marie let go of him, indicating that the hug was over. The four of them separated, and Marie helped Stein to his feet. She carefully walked him over to a seat at the end of the row, beside the stairs. She sat beside him, and Crona took the seat beside her, Maka sitting on his other side.

"Professor Stein?" Maka asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, all things considered…" Stein answered. "Just a little dizzy from the blood loss…"

Crona looked down at the floor, noticing the discarded, bloody scalpel. Not far away from it was the letter that Marie and Stein must've read. Crona couldn't see what it said, nor did he particularly care.

"So…" Marie started, causing Crona to look back up at her. "What's going on here, anyway?"

Maka sighed, preparing the same explanation she had to use three times before.

"Basically, at some point in time, our host here implanted a block of knowledge into our minds, and when you read that letter, it showed you everything about known about our world."

Marie frowned. "So…that means…"

"Yeah. We're fictional characters."

Marie stared at the two of them, her face showing a combination of confusion and disbelief.

"That shouldn't be possible." Stein remarked. "Knowledge doesn't work like that."

"Yeah, I know…but it's true. Somehow, he pulled it off." Maka replied.

Marie looked at Crona. "So…when did you two learn about this…?"

Crona flinched slightly. "A few months ago…"

"…I see…"

Crona quickly looked back up at Marie. "I wanted to tell the both of you, I really did! But…he did something to our heads, so that we couldn't tell anyone who didn't already know…"

Marie smiled, gently patting Crona's shoulder. "It's alright. I'm not mad at you or anything. Really, I'm not."

Crona gave a slight sigh, but was still a bit unsure.

"So, we know the "how"." Stein commented. "So what's the "why"?"

Maka gave a small "heh" before answering. "Hope you're ready for this…you're here to review a bad piece of writing."

Marie and Stein leaned over to look at Maka, both of their faces giving incredulous looks.

"Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy." she replied. "It has a lot to do with The Host needing funding to cross over other worlds or something…"

Stein tilted his head. "Other worlds?"

"Y-Yeah…" Crona replied. "Sometimes I do this with people from other worlds…"

"And they're fictional too?" Marie asked.

"Yeah…well, I know one of them is, anyway…"

_But he probably wouldn't bring him here if he wasn't…_ Crona thought.

"So, just to summarize." Stein began. "You two come here every so often to review bad writing, sometimes with people from other worlds, in order to fund some other being's studies with bringing the worlds together?"

"Well, when the people from the other worlds are here, I'm not." Maka answered. "Crona works with them to read stories about various worlds. When it's the two of us, it's usually a story about our world."

"…that sounds a lot less promising than it should."

"For very good reason…"

Marie looked at Crona. "So this is how you spend your weekends?"

"S-Something like that…" Crona replied.

Stein frowned, leaning forward while slowly turning the screw in his head. "So…this Host…he can bring alternate universes together, and is able to enter other people's minds, all without being seen in a physical form…just what sort of being can do that?"

Maka sighed. "Believe me, if we had the slightest clue, we would tell you…"

Crona shuddered. "I-I'm not entirely sure I want to know what he is…"

Marie frowned, quickly realizing that a change of subject was in order. She pointed down at the pile of letters on Crona's lap.

"What're all these for?"

"O-Oh…" Crona muttered. "F-Fanmail…"

"…fanmail?"

"Yeah…" Maka answered. "This is a pretty popular show, believe it or not…"

"Show?" Marie asked, quickly looking around. "We're on TV?"

"So that's where he gets the funding from…" Stein muttered. "While simultaneously keeping an eye on his subjects…"

…_I really hope Professor Stein doesn't start to respect The Host…_ Crona thought while slowly opening the first letter.

_Crona+Maka: Who do you think would win in a fight, Asura the Kishin or Hapxier from Macademi Wasshoi?_

Maka looked up at the screen, looking rather incredulous.

"…please tell me you're joking."

Marie suddenly let out a shout, covering her face with her hands. "Why am I picturing an oiled-up muscled man running around in tights?"

Stein frowned. "…I told Spirit not to introduce you to professional wrestling."

"_That's not what I meant_!"

Crona decided it'd be better to just not ask, and opened the next letter.

_To Crona and Maka_

_Hey guys, its me again, (the guy who told Crona to grow a set and called Maka a mary sue)_

"Oh, joy, because we clearly wanted to talk to you again." Maka grumbled.

_I guess you guys arent THAT bad, but, maka, for your information, I've been on the A+ honnor roll from seventh grade all the way to my grade right now *11th grade*_

"Wow, I guess regular schools have ridiculously low standards these days."

_and i go by the anime, i dont like the manga that much for many reasons._

"Then you're talking to the wrong people. Go watch some show that features the anime versions of us or something, and kindly leave us the hell alone."

Stein twitched slightly, giving the screw in his head another turn.

_Also, out of curiosity, Ragnarok, have you ever considered to SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP?_

_I've always wondered that throught the series, because you should do that, shut the fuck up, ragnarok._

Maka pulled the letter out of Crona's hands and crumpled it up, tossing it to the floor.

"Sorry, but I'm the only one who gets to say that."

Marie frowned, looking behind Crona. "I haven't seen much of him lately, come to think of it…"

"I don't know what the problem is…" Crona muttered.

"…hey, Ragnarok! Why don't you come out? Come on, no need to be shy!"

"…P-Professor Marie, can you please not talk to my back?" Crona asked as he opened the next letter.

_Crona: Can you bike? How far? Do you enjoy it?_

"No, I can't…"

_Maka: Do you have a driver's license? Permit?_

"No, but I have been thinking about getting one…"

Maka then grabbed another letter off of the pile and opened it.

_Maka:_

_Have you heard of the song called Dilemma by Nelly featuring Kelly roland?._

"No…why would I?"

_Have you ever been to the Dominican Republic?._

"I think I did once…but it was for a mission, so I didn't really enjoy myself."

_Have you ever been to a roller derby?_

Maka sighed. "No, I haven't. And don't go turning that into a running joke or anything."

Marie tilted her head. "…should I ask?"

"P-Please don't…" Crona muttered.

_Crona:_

_Have you ever heard of bachata music?_

"…what music?"

_Would you go time travling?_

"Um…I guess…?"

_Do you think Eruka is a dangerous witch?_

"I-I guess she is…but I don't know if she's _that_ bad…"

Stein frowned while Crona grabbed the next letter. "We are keeping her locked up for a reason, Crona."

"I-I know…"

_To Crona and Maka._

_What are five diffrent things that you two like/love about for one another?_

Both parties blushed brightly, making sure not to look at the other.

"M-Moving on…" Maka muttered.

_To Ragnarok._

_I miss you. :(_

Marie frowned while Crona grabbed the next letter. "Just how long has he been hiding, anyway?"

"A few weeks now…" Crona replied.

"…very unusual…" Stein remarked.

_Everyone: I have good news and bad news. The good news is that neither Mariex_

Crona let out a short shout, reading ahead and seeing where the letter was going. He quickly ripping the letter to pieces, throwing the pieces onto the ground in front of him.

"…me X what?" Marie asked.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! Absolutely nothing worth mentioning!" Crona shouted, face bright red.

Before Marie could protest, Crona quickly grabbed the next letter and opened it.

_Crona _

_Did you ever get in trouble for sneaking out of class to go to Maka's bedroom? you dark horse you_

Crona let out an embarrassed moan, his head quickly falling onto his tray.

He was surprised to hear Marie suddenly clear her throat, and looked up to see why. He was even more surprised to see her staring down at him, arms crossed and a stern look on her face. (or rather, as stern as Marie could be)

"You did what, now?" she asked.

Crona let out a squeak, quickly trying to think of an explanation.

"Well, I was just…you see, what happened was…it was all just…"

"I was sick!" Maka interjected. "I stayed home sick, a-and he came over to see me!" she then reached up and ruffled Crona's hair, a forced smile on her face. "Isn't he just the greatest?"

Crona forced a smile as well, trying to not blush at the compliment Maka had given him.

Marie looked between the two of them for a second, then reached down and gave Crona a light poke on the forehead.

"Don't let me catch you skipping class again, young man."

"Y-Y-Yes ma'am…"

Marie nodded, sitting back in her seat, feeling somewhat proud of herself.

_you are using protection right?_

Both Crona and Maka gave embarrassed cries, Maka quickly getting to her feet.

"_I can't take this anymore_! How are you people finding out about these things? We weren't anywhere near here when that happened! What, are there cameras following us around now? Stop stalking us! We've got enough crap to deal with here, we don't need you people invading our personal lives too!"

She then wheeled around, pointing at Marie and Stein.

"And before either of you ask, _nothing happened_!"

The two of them edged away, Marie wearing a sheepish smile on her face.

"W-We weren't going to say anything at all! Were we, Frank?"

"Right…nothing at all…"

Maka sat back in her seat, her face red from both embarrassment and her outburst. Marie turned to Stein, leaning to whisper in his ear.

"Frank…is it weird that I'm suddenly reminded of that one incident with Kami, Spirit, and that old Volkswagen?"

"…no, now that you mention it, I'm remembering that too…"

_Maka _

_If your soul perception can cover the whole planet, and the moon apparently, why did you not use it to find Crona earlier, before the Russia and the Ukraine incident? Or just anytime before the order to 'deal' with him?_

Maka froze, staring at the letter. Her mind was suddenly reeling with what was just mentioned to her.

…_he's right. Why didn't I do that? What in the hell is wrong with me? I could've looked for Crona at any time, why did I wait until then?_

She looked up to see Crona suddenly grab the letter, tearing the top half off while Maka still held onto the bottom half. He crumpled up his part, dropping it onto the ground.

"…it doesn't matter now…right?" Crona asked, looking at Maka.

Maka stared at Crona for a second, before smiling and crumpling up her half. She dropped it onto the ground beside Crona's.

"Right. Doesn't matter now."

Crona smiled back, grabbing the next letter and opening it. He didn't notice Marie trying to suppress an "aw" from escaping her mouth.

_Crona_

_1)What kind of Pan_

Crona let out another cry, seeing where the rest of the letter was going and quickly tearing it to shreds. He threw the pieces onto the ground, before practically jumping out of his chair and frantically stomping on the pieces. After a few seconds, he stopped, breathing heavily while standing on the shredded paper.

"…should we-" Stein began.

"No!" Crona cried out. "It was nothing! Nothing I want to talk about! Nothing at all!"

Stein looked at Marie in mild confusion while Crona sat back down and quickly opened the next letter, just wanting to be done as fast as possible.

_Dear Crona and Maka._

_You both rock..._

_I am so sorry you all had to sit through that amazingly horrible 'rip off/chat room on a cell phone/total dialogue with no real punctuation/who the hell is talking now/no amount of brain bleach will cleanse your mind of this crap' story... _

_It was too painful for me to actually read the whole thing... I gave up about ten minutes in, which is longer than I can force myself to pay attention to my own 14 year olds at home... sigh_

_There has GOT to be some sort of reward for doing this... _

_Something!_

_Anything!_

Maka sighed as Crona placed the letter aside. "There really _should_ be some sort of reward for doing this…I mean, we're here constantly, putting our mental health and wellbeing in peril, for the sake of entertainment and experiments. We should at least be getting paid for this."

"I don't think The Host particularly cares…" Crona muttered, grabbing the next letter.

"We could always go on strike."

"Knowing our luck, that'd just make things worse…"

_Crona and Maka..._

_You both definitely deserve hugs..._

Marie smiled, quickly wrapping Crona in a hug. "You most certainly do."

Crona flushed brightly, eyes darting about while he struggled with what to say in response.

Marie then reached past Crona, trying to grab Maka. She grasped around in front of Maka for a few seconds, before giving an annoyed sigh.

"Maka, lean over. I can't reach you from here."

Maka flushed as well, but decided to obey, leaning closer to Crona.

It took some rather odd maneuvering, but somehow, Marie managed to give both of them a sort of simultaneous half-hug. Once everyone had got back into their seats, Crona opened the next letter.

_Maka: _

_1) What is your favorite memory?_

"When I defeated Arachne and made Soul into a Death Scythe."

_2) What is your favorite book?_

Maka sighed. "For the last time, I don't know. I read pretty much everything I can get my hands on, it'd take me forever to pick an absolute favourite."

_Chrona:_

_1) is Ragnarok ever tolerable?_

"…I guess lately would count…"

_2) Do you like to read?_

"Y-Yes, of course…"

Maka frowned slightly at the "of course", but didn't say anything, letting Crona open the next letter.

_CRONA: Hey have you ever considered asking Prof Stein to give you medical training ? and please dont start the im not smart enough arguement you are at least an average student with little prievius education so your obviusly very smart you just lack knowlege and think about it if some thing happend to one of your friend's let's say Maka you could save their life or if they get sick you could take care of them_

"…I never really thought about it…"

Stein frowned, looking over at Crona. "Crona, this person brought up a point you should be fully aware of: your marks _are_ average. But if you wanted to pursue a medical profession, your marks would need to be exceptional, not average."

He gave the screw in his head a short turn, before continuing. "If you do want me to give you some medical training, then I expect you to apply yourself to your work until your marks jump up. Understand?"

Crona nodded slightly, surprised at Stein's sudden interest. "Y-Yes sir…I understand…"

…_that was a bit odd…_ Crona thought while opening the next letter.

_Maka:_

_whats your faveorite stephen king book?_

"Hmm…it'd probably be one of his short story collections…I'll have to think about it."

_Crona:_

_Do you know a witch whose animals theme is alligators?_

"No…why would I know someone like that…?"

Maka reached over and grabbed the next letter on the pile, opening it and reading the contents.

_Maka and Crona_

_Have you ever watch the show family matters?_

"No, I don't think we have…" Maka replied.

_Maka:_

_ever played the jak and Daxter from 2001?_

"No, I don't play a lot of video games."

Maka grabbed the next letter on the pile, looking up at Marie's and Stein's confused faces.

"…yeah, when the letters aren't incredibly embarrassing, they're really confusing."

Stein sighed. "Rather unfortunate for you two to be caught in a lose-lose situation."

"To say the least…"

_Maka&Crona:_

_Do you guys think you can beat both Naruto and Gaara in a tag team match?_

"Um…sure?" Maka answered.

_Whats your favorite culture in the world?_

Maka and Crona looked at the letter, before looking at one another. They both shrugged and placed the letter aside.

"Let's just move on to the last letter so we can get on with this…" Maka muttered.

Crona nodded, opening the last letter.

_If you guys are in the year 2003/4, then can you guys go and warn Shinigami that he must stop the sub-prime mortgage market and prevent the Second Great Depression?_

_The world('s economy) depends on it._

"…I don't think Lord Death has any control over the economy." Maka replied.

Stein gave an annoyed sigh. "Not that that's stopped anyone. One time back in the 70's, a number of politicians came over and asked Lord Death to do something about the recession that was going on at the time. He basically laughed them out of the room."

"…that was pretty stupid of them."

"Politicians haven't changed much from when we were your age, Maka."

Crona simply tilted his head in confusion, then noticed something amiss about the table in front of them.

"…where's the envelope?"

Marie blinked, then pointed at the letter on the floor. "That was on the table when we got here."

"What did it say?" Maka asked.

"Some title, which I'm assuming is for the story we're here to review." Stein answered. "It was called "The Hell Inside My Head", by someone named "glow vomit"."

Stein and Marie then turned to look at Crona, who had given a slight groan and covered his face with his hands.

"Just great…" he muttered.

"…am I missing something? Why are you suddenly upset, Crona?" Marie asked.

"Um…I forgot to mention something." Maka explained. "See, usually the "guest stars" show up here because the story we're going to review has something to do with them."

"…then, taking the title into account…" Stein began.

Marie pointed at Stein, then at herself, then at Crona, the connection soon dawning on her.

"…oh dear."

"Yeah…" Maka muttered.

Before any further comments could be made, the lights dimmed, and the show began.

/

**Marie loved having as little work as possible.**

Crona: Oh, no author's notes…that doesn't happen that often…

Marie: Author's notes?

Maka: It's where the author rambles on for no reason other than thinking that people came to see them talk.

**Then she could concentrate on what was really important. She swept and dusted Stein's laboratory and washed out all the test tubes and beakers. At least now she didn't need to use the beakers for coffee. Still, she had to be careful; she couldn't leave anything in Stein's laboratory out of place or he would get annoyed. But if she put everything back exactly where she found it, he wouldn't even notice she'd been there, because Stein didn't know the difference between clean and dirty. She shuddered to remember how the place looked before she'd moved in. It was a good thing she'd come when she did.**

Stein: It wasn't all that bad.

Marie: …are we talking about the same house?

Stein: I'll have you know that I am _very_ organized.

Marie: Organized doesn't mean _clean_, Frank…

**Marie's favorite thing about cleaning was that it made her feel like she was married, like she was a good housewife to Stein and a good mother to Crona.**

Marie: *heavy blush*

Crona: *heavier blush*

**She daydreamed that this wasn't just a twisted dream, daydreamed that Stein would make some sort of advance on her...aside from the time she'd caught him at her bedside with a scalpel.**

Marie & Stein: Never happened!

Marie: …or anything else, for that matter…

Stein & Crona: *sputter*

**After that, she started locking the door, which she knew was disruptive to her imaginary married life, because her imaginary husband **_**should **_**be in allowed in her bedroom...but that didn't mean she wanted to be dissected and experimented on like Stein had done to Spirit for years. Then again, maybe Stein had done it because he liked Spirit. She wasn't sure if Stein liked her like that though.**

Stein: …question: Do these authors assume that, just because two people may be a weapon and meister team, that they have some degree of romantic interest between them?

Maka: In most cases, yes.

Stein: That is incredibly ignorant of them.

Maka: It definitely is.

**Sighing, she went back to the kitchen to start boiling some water for the macaroni and cheese she was going to make for dinner. Marie liked to think she was a good cook, or at least she hoped she was, because that would make her seem like a good candidate for marriage, right? The children at Shibusen always told her they looked her cooking, but maybe they were just being nice.**

Maka: We aren't just being nice! You are a good cook, Professor Marie! Really!

Crona: *nods*

Marie: Aww, thanks you guys…

**Still, maybe Stein would like her cooking enough to marry her! If only he wouldn't smoke so much, if only he wouldn't spend every waking moment in the laboratory, if only he didn't have to put stitches on every damn thing, including his formal clothes...**

Stein: *sighs* That was just because there was a rip in my suit and I didn't want to spend the money on a tailor.

Marie: *hmphs* A likely story…

**The water would take forever to boil since she'd lost the lid to the pot: one potential housewife failure. Well, if Stein wasn't going to be perfect either, she was allowed some failures, right? Maybe not. If she were allowed a few failures, she'd be married by now.**

Marie: …you know, I'm not _that_ obsessed with getting married. …really, I'm not.

Stein: …why am I getting a picture of a toilet right now?

Marie: Frank, don't make me hurt you.

**And it was in the middle of this lamentation that the doorbell rang. She tossed a pinch of salt into the pot and ran to answer it.**

**And standing in her doorbell was Azusa. Marie's first thought was, would Stein and Crona be home soon? Azusa had so much nerve. Self-consciously, Marie realized she was wearing nothing but a lacy little nightgown under her apron. She'd been putting off getting dressed properly and hadn't yet decided if she wanted to be dressed like this around Stein.**

Stein: …oh my.

Crona: *covers face*

Marie: …*blush*

**"Home alone, Marie?" Azusa said.**

**"I...yes, I am! It's nice to see you, Azusa...er...what are you doing here?"**

**"Just visiting my friend. What on earth have you been doing all day?"**

**Marie could tell Azusa's eyes were wandering, taking in her revealing nightgown. And meanwhile, Azusa looked so damn composed, wearing her pinstriped suit as always.**

Marie: …I'm sorry, what?

Maka: …oh dear God…

Crona: *curls up, covering ears* Let me know when it's over…

Marie: Wait, what's the matter? What's going on?

**Marie didn't think women should wear suits like that. She didn't believe all that empowered woman stuff Azusa did (though she felt embarrassed enough not to tell Azusa she'd been cooking and cleaning all day).**

Marie: Ex_cuse_ me? Where in the hell did you get that from? So, what, because I want to be a housewife, you assume that I don't think women should be empowered? That's the most misogynistic thing I've ever heard!

Maka: Woo! Go Professor Marie!

**Azusa may have been younger, but she should have been trying harder to find a husband while she was still in her prime, instead of letting the chance slip away like Marie had...**

**"Are you home alone?" said Azusa.**

**Marie almost wanted to lie and say no, that Crona was there, but Azusa would have seen through it...and that dark little voice in her head said, **_**maybe you don't even want to lie**_**. **_**Maybe you're that starved for attention.**_

Stein: …what the hell is going on?

Marie: I'm not sure I want to find out…

Maka: If my guess is right, no, you don't…

**"I am...would you like some tea?"**

**"Depends what you mean by tea. Why don't we just sit down?" said Azusa.**

_**Damn her.**_

Marie: …wait wait wait wait wait. This isn't…it's not trying to say…

Maka: *nods*

Marie: …*heavy blush* Oh _God_!

**"All right," Marie said, and she led Azusa to the living room couch.**

**"You're not still thinking about marriage all the time, are you?" said Azusa. "I remember when you smashed that toilet…because I said it could leak behind your back…."**

**"Oh, don't remind me! I was so embarrassed…."**

**Marie and Azusa both giggled.**

**"So do you still like teaching?" said Azusa. "I can't stand kids….Spirit and the other Death Scythes are enough to handle, and they're grown up."**

**"I hate working, but it's not the worst thing I could be doing. I love the kids."**

**They were already cuddling together on the sofa, just like normal friends would. But Marie knew they weren't like normal friends. She wasn't sure how this had started exactly, but one day Azusa had suddenly said, "You know, I could see us hooking up." And Marie had been horny enough to agree to a makeout session, but nothing too hardcore.**

Marie: _NO_! Never! Not in a million years! Absolutely not! What…where in the hell are you getting this?

Stein: Would either repressed sexual desires or hormones be safe guesses?

Maka: Definitely…

**Azusa hadn't been like this back at Shibusen, when the age gap between them had been more apparent. Then again, she'd always been dominating, controlling, strong….Still, Marie didn't know how she felt about having a younger woman throwing herself at her.**

**Sometimes she did wonder if Azusa used her clairvoyance to watch her getting changed, but she decided to push that thought to the back of her mind.**

Marie: Oh, great, thanks, now I'm going to have to _actually do that_!

**"You'd be a mean teacher," Marie teased.**

**"You're too nice."**

**"You're too naughty anyway…."**

**"Am I?" said Azusa with a devious smile.**

Marie: Oh God, this is like a bad movie! A really bad movie that you get from a no-name rental store at two in the morning from behind the counter!

Stein: …that was oddly specific-

Marie: Reading too much into it!

**Marie didn't have much time to think as Azusa started taking off her suit jacket and blouse, and the voice that said, "**_**this isn't going to help you get married" **_**was barely audible in her mind. She let Azusa's fingers work their way under her nightgown, only vaguely thinking that weapons should be more submissive than this. She could hear the water boiling over but chose to ignore it.**

**Before all they'd done was kiss, and that wasn't too different among girls, was it? A mouth was a mouth. And Azusa's hands fondling her breasts could have been anyone's hands, right? But Marie's own hands were moving toward Azusa's soft breasts, and this was different. But before she could explore too much, Azusa initiated a passionate kiss. No, it wasn't passionate; this didn't mean anything to either of them, at least not to Marie. For Marie, it was just an outlet.**

**She let Azusa take control, let her bite her neck and then even her nipples, so long as no visible marks were left, which Azusa understood. They cuddled more afterward, and when Azusa looked at Marie, they both starting giggling like naughty schoolgirls. They stayed like that until Azusa had to go do work and Marie was left feeling lonely and a bit guilty, but strangely satisfied as she returned to her housewife duties.**

Marie: *shocked silence*

Stein: …*takes off glasses, rubs eyes, puts glasses back on* …did that just happen?

Maka: Yes, yes it did…

Stein: …I'm assuming the "can't tell anyone else" part you mentioned means Marie won't be getting any therapy any time soon?

Maka: Afraid not…

**The water in the pot was almost all boiled away by now.**

**This didn't mean Marie's perfect married life was shattered, did it? Crona and Stein were screwed up enough she could afford to be screwed up; that was her only justification and she knew it didn't suffice.**

Marie: _No shit_!

**But Spirit had cheated on his wife all those years, and they'd only just gotten divorced...**

Marie: Oh you did _not_ just compare me to Spirit of all people! I am nothing like that two-timing womanizing piece of…sorry, Maka.

Maka: No, no, by all means, continue. Probably nothing I haven't heard or said myself already.

**Yes, Marie's married life was just fine. She started making dinner all over again, daydreaming about Stein and Crona coming home and telling her the food was wonderful.**

Maka: *pokes Crona* This chapter's over.

Crona: *looks up* …any chance I could just stay like this?

Maka: Somehow, I don't think that's gonna fly, Crona…

Crona: *uncurls* I was afraid you'd say that…

**Stein was happiest when he was in a laboratory. And while he preferred his own, Shibusen's lab had certain resources. He'd had to beg Shinigami-sama for permission to use it, because no one really trusted him since he'd recently been so insane. But here he was, doing his special experiment on Crona.**

Stein: …this can't be good.

Crona: *whimper*

**"You can't dissect Crona and Ragnarok," Marie had said. "We're responsible for them now."**

**Stein had promised he wasn't going to dissect anyone—and no endangered species either. Luckily, he had another experiment in mind.**

**"This operation is necessary for your full recovery after that fight," Stein said to Crona. "I need to restore your black blood to its former state."**

**"Uh…okay…."**

Crona: Um…how?

Stein: I'm actually curious about that myself…

**Stein kind of felt bad lying, but he didn't want to ask Crona's opinion because if Crona said no, he'd miss out on his chance to do this experiment.**

Stein: Oh. That actually makes more sense.

**This way, he could just make it look like an accident.**

Maka: …make _what_ look like an accident?

**What had he even been thinking feeling bad about it, when this was for science?**

**Yes, for science…**

Stein: …what is "Still Alive", and why do I feel like singing it right now?

Maka: That happens sometimes…

**"I'm just going to hook you up to this machine and drain out half of your black blood."**

_**Yes**_**. Stein giggled to himself.**

**"Uh…Dr. Stein….A-are you okay?"**

**"Of course I am. Now, this won't hurt a bit…."**

Crona: …does anyone actually believe that?

Stein: No. Which would be why I never say it.

Others: …*slowly edge away from Stein*

**"A-are you s-sure?"**

**"Well, you'll be unconscious. But don't worry. I know this operation will be a success!"**

**"O-okay."**

**But Stein was being careless. His mind was wandering. Was this the madness again? The madness never really went away, even now that the Kishin was gone….Or was the Kishin gone?**

**"You know what you want to do, Stein. You want to cut everything apart…" said a voice.**

**Could it be…Medusa?**

**Yes, now he could see her clearly, leaning over him as he prepared his tools. He cranked his screw a few times. Still there.**

_**Shit.**_

Stein: …*starts twisting the screw in his head*

Marie: Frank…

Stein: I'd tell you if that was happening…

**"You don't want to keep living with someone who only wants to take care of you….She can't give you what you want the way I can. I know it would mean the most if someone would—"**

**"I can't listen to you…"**

**"—**_**DISSECT YOU!**_**"**

**Stein thought for a moment. Medusa was right, after all. He'd experimented on himself so much, but he would have preferred if someone else had thought he was interesting enough to dismantle. He wanted to dismantle the world and stitch it back up again. Why wouldn't it return the favor?**

Stein: No, I'm fairly certain I don't want anyone to do that. …unless I'm dead, in which case, feel free.

**And why did he have to follow rules and not just dissect Crona, but instead tiptoe around the rules, only doing what Shinigami-sama would let him get away with….**

**"Yes, you know what you want," said Medusa, smirking. "Become the man I want you to be…."**

**Medusa would have dissected him…cut him open…used him for research…and she would have been sexy the whole time, wearing nothing but her lab coat.**

Stein: *twist* I. *twist* Do. *twist* Not. *twist* Have. *twist* These. *twist* Thoughts!

**"No!" said Stein. He cranked his screw again. "I need to focus….I need to focus on this experiment….**_**Aren't you dead?**_**"**

**Of course, Medusa was dead. He was hallucinating again.**

**Maybe the Kishin was gone, but his madness was forever. Stein knew that all too well. Whenever he was away from Marie, it would return.**

Stein: Again, Marie, I would tell you if that was true.

Marie: I know…I know…

**Even Spirit had that calming effect, to an extent. Spirit was just so simple-minded, it was calming…and endearing. Marie wasn't simple-minded; she just acted like that, but Stein knew she was still such a hard worker.**

_**But she doesn't share your passion…**_**The voice said again. **_**Your passion to dissect…and to be dissected…strapped to a table, with her holding a scalpel over you, ready to cut you open and pin down the flaps of skin….**_

**"SHUT UP!" said Stein.**

**He looked down. Here was Crona, the legacy of madness left behind by Medusa. The pathetic, weak child Medusa had abused until it was a complete nervous wreck. But it was such a fascinating test subject. No, it was a "he"—despite the dress.**

Maka & Crona: Robe.

Marie: …now, Crona, there's nothing wrong with you wearing a dress-

Crona: It _is_ a robe! Really!

**Medusa really was deranged.**

Maka & Marie: _Fucking duh_!

**Stein was required to hate what Medusa had done, he knew that. Crona was the result of the bad kind of research, the kind Stein knew he had to resist doing.**

Crona: …no comment…

Maka: *hugs Crona* That is _not_ what the author meant. …or, at least, it better not have been…

**Yet here he was, experimenting on a kid, and it was none other than Crona. Was he the new Medusa? Was he really that bad?**

_**No…I just want to know how things work and poke around a bit,**_** Stein rationalized.**_** What I'm doing for Crona will improve his life. My experiment will be beneficial.**_

**Stein stared at the filter machine, watching the black blood course through it. The black blood could promote madness, so maybe he shouldn't be working with it so closely….**

**Finally, the machine was finished filtering the blood. The time had gone by quickly. Stein filled his giant syringe with the blood and prepared the body for injection.**

**Stein supposed his habit of visiting morgues to find human specimens had finally paid off. He preferred to work with live humans but was often without a subject besides himself.**

_**Oh, dissecting**_**. It was just so fun!**

**He couldn't help thinking about Marie the exact thing he'd always thought about Spirit: just how much nicer that smooth skin would feel if it were covered in scars.**

Stein: No I don't no I don't _no I don't_!

**But he needed to stop losing focus. The body was still lifeless, but Crona was waking up.**

**"W…what happened?" said Crona.**

**"Well, it seems that when I removed half of your black blood, I kind of, sort of….Well, I may have separated Ragnarok from you by accident because I removed just a bit too much…."**

Marie: For the record, Frank, you're a terrible liar.

Stein: I've actually managed to trick Spirit a few times, for your information.

Marie: It's Spirit, it doesn't count.

Stein: …fair point.

**"W-what does that mean? I don't think I can deal with anything happening to Ragnarok…."**

**"He's going to be perfectly okay. The operation really was a success, and Ragnarok will be fine. But like I said, something went wrong—not that it went horribly wrong, because it'll be okay—and now Ragnarok will just have his own body. He'll still be your partner and everything."**

**"But…how does Ragnarok live…if he's not attached to me?"**

**"Well, actually, Ragnarok has been living in your blood so long that he is unable to sustain himself outside your body. Since the situation was so dire, I fused him with this human corpse…."**

**"Er…Dr. Stein…w-why do you have a human corpse?"**

Stein: Oh, I carry a few of them around with me in case of emergencies.

Others: …

Stein: …I'm assuming my attempt at a joke didn't go over very well?

Maka: Not really…

**"Nevermind that, Crona. I think he's finally waking up!"**

**Indeed, the boy was no longer still, and his eyes were open.**

**"**_**Goo…beeee**_**," he said faintly. Ragnarok's soul had apparently influenced the body to change somewhat in appearance, and as a result, his human form reflected his original form. He had longish, tousled black hair, ear piercings, an X tattooed on his chest, and spiked wrist cuffs. Bizarre.**

Stein: Hmm…can the black blood create clothes, Crona?

Crona: I-I wouldn't know…

**But aside from his boxers, he was naked.**

**"What the hell is going on? Where am I? This isn't Crona's body…. Hey screw head, what's going on?"**

**"R-ragnarok…" said Crona.**

**"What the hell are you doing over there? What did the screw freak do to us?"**

**Stein laughed. "I thought you'd be happy, now that you can move around on your own."**

**"Wait, I can move around on my own? **_**FUCK YEAH**_**! I'm **_**free**_**! Now I can do whatever I want. This is so badass!"**

**"Can you stand yet?" said Stein. "See if that will work."**

**"**_**I CAN STAND! AND I'M NAKED! AND I'M DAMN SEXY!**_**"**

**"All right, well, I think it's time to go back home. Marie probably has dinner waiting."**

**"It better be tasty! I am so damn hungry! I'm gonna eat Crona's dinner too. And then…**_**I'M GOING TO HAVE SEX WITH EVERYONE**_**."**

**For the first time, Stein almost regretted doing science.**

_**Almost**_**.**

Maka & Crona: *stunned silence*

Marie: …*snerk* I shouldn't be laughing at that…that's terrible…but the way he said it…

Stein: *furiously twisting the screw*

Maka: …Professor Stein? Is everything alright?

Stein: I want you three to realize that you should be thankful you don't have a mind like mine. A mind that's filled with curiosity and that imagines tons of scenarios and possibilities. A mind that is currently trying as hard as possible to not imagine Ragnarok having sex with literally _every person I know_.

Others: *shudder*

**Crona always figured he felt the calmest when no one else was around. If he was all alone, he didn't have to deal with much. That seemed about right.**

Crona: …not exactly…

**But as far back as he could remember, he hadn't been truly alone. Ragnarok had always been there to taunt him, punch him, kick him...and he'd grown used to it. So used to it that he almost liked it, or at least that he didn't know any other way to be. He needed someone to pick on him; calm made him uneasy.**

Maka: …Crona?

Crona: …let's just move on…

**And living with Miss Marie and Dr. Stein was already no good for his nerves. Medusa was his real parent, and she'd always locked him in a dark room. Miss Marie and Dr. Stein weren't his real parents, and he'd betrayed them, and they were still so nice to him. They had no reason to be kind. Even when he'd been a good child, Medusa hadn't been kind, so why should they? It was almost scary. It made him want to be good at school and everything.**

Stein: …*turns screw*

Marie: *looks down, twiddling thumbs*

**Write a poem if you're worried, Maka had said, and he'd done it, but his poem had only depressed everyone.**

Marie: It wasn't _that_ bad…

Crona: *stares at Marie*

Marie: …never mind.

**He wasn't good at school. School was just another thing he couldn't deal with, another thing he found hopelessly overwhelming. He tried not to think too much, tried not to pay attention to the Hell inside his head.**

Crona: I am really regretting using that metaphor…

**Maka said the Hell would go away with time, but he wasn't sure of that. The problem with not thinking was that it made you do stupid things. It made you unable to focus on anything. But then thinking was a million times worse, so he accepted the haze. Needed it, in fact.**

**Ragnarok didn't have the haze. He didn't need it. He always saw things the way they were, and it never even bothered him. Crona didn't really understand how that was possible, how someone could brush off terrible things and just**_** deal **_**with them. But that was why he needed Ragnarok: not just so Ragnarok could hit him and call him stupid, but so Ragnarok could make him see what was in front of him.**

**And now, now that Ragnarok could leave Crona, he would. In fact, he was making that very clear.**

Crona: …*curls up slightly*

Maka: …Crona?

Crona: I-I'm alright…I'm fine…

Maka: …*hugs Crona*

Marie: *hugs Crona as well*

**"Holy fuck, walking is the shit!" he said wildly. "I can't fucking believe this. Man, I really hope Marie didn't burn dinner again. That'll ruin the fun of stealing yours, if it isn't that delicious."**

**"Miss Marie's food is always delicious..." mumbled Crona.**

**"Whatever, point is, soon as I swipe your dinner, I'm fuckin' out-a there, you know? Goo-bee!"**

**"I'm not really sure if it's safe for you to go out on your own yet, since you've only been separated from Crona for a very short time," said Dr. Stein. And Crona was silently victorious. But Dr. Stein continued with a smile, "But, what the hell, you may as well go out and see if anything weird happens. Could be interesting."**

_**Damn it. Damn it all to hell.**_

Crona: …*shivers*

**"MARIE, YOU DUMBASS, WE'RE HOME!" Ragnarok screeched at the door. "LET US THE FUCK IN!"**

**"Don't worry, I have a key. Marie's probably busy," Dr. Stein said calmly, searching his pockets. "Now where is it..."**

**"MARIE, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? I'M FUCKING HUNGRY, CAN'T YOU TELL? WALKING IS A LOTTA FUCKING EFFORT, YOU KNOW?"**

**"Quiet, Ragnarok, that's rude..." said Crona.**

**"Oh shut the hell up, you idiot. I WANT FOOD! MY FOOD AND YOUR—"**

Marie: …my what? My what? He wants my food and my what?

Stein: It would probably be best to not dwell on that, Marie…

Crona: Please, please, please don't dwell on it…

**A very flustered Miss Marie opened the door. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry I didn't realize you were there sooner. Oh, why didn't you just ring the doorbell!"**

**"Right...the doorbell..." Dr. Stein said with a nervous laugh.**

**And then she noticed.**

**"Wait—**_**shit**_**—who **_**is**_** that? Is that—**_**Ragnarok**_**? Stein…what on earth did you **_**do**_**?"**

**"Oh, well, just an experiment," Dr. Stein said nonchalantly. "Just having some fun….I wanted to see if the procedure would work. And…I guess it did."**

**"But…is that okay?" said Miss Marie. "Does Shinigami-sama know what you did?"**

**"More or less—okay, no! But he won't mind. We all agreed that what Medusa did to those two was wrong and that they shouldn't have to share a body…."**

**Miss Marie sighed. "I guess that's right. Well, come on, dinner was ready ages ago."**

**Once they were all seated at the dinner table, Ragnarok started rambling again. "So now that I have legs and a dick and stuff, I've been thinking a lot about who I'm going to fuck first. I'm going to fuck everyone, but—"**

**"Ragnarok!" said Miss Marie, and Crona was relieved. "I don't think that's an appropriate conversation for dinner, is it?"**

**"Why the hell can't I talk about who I'm gonna screw?"**

**"Stein, that's not appropriate, right?"**

**Dr. Stein, who had clearly been distracted in some way, looked up. "Yeah…sure…."**

**Miss Marie sighed again. She was always sighing.**

Marie: …Frank not really paying attention, and Ragnarok cursing up a storm…that certainly sounds familiar…

Crona: *flinches*

Stein: I swear, I was very busy with work, and my mind was still focused on what Lord Death had told me.

Marie: That's no excuse! Crona was our guest, you could've at least tried to make conversation!

**Crona wondered what Dr. Stein had been thinking about. Was it the experiment and him and Ragnarok? Suddenly he felt self-conscious. Would he have to do more tests? He hoped Dr. Stein wasn't planning any more. He liked Dr. Stein a lot—really, he did—but all the tests were so intrusive and personal.**

**Ragnarok didn't appear to care about Miss Marie's scoldings, as usual. "I bet if it were up to Crona, he'd want to screw Maka.**

Crona: *head hits tray*

Marie: Oh, is that what those are for?

Maka: *hiding blush* Usually…

**But she's boring and never has interesting panties under that short skirt. Tsubaki has way nicer tits—"**

**"Stop it, Ragnarok," hissed Crona.**

**"You shut up!" said Ragnarok. "I'm going to screw Maka and Tsubaki both! And Liz and Patty and everyone! And I've kinda always wanted to put Kid in a dress and fuck him violently. But it's just a matter of who do first!"**

Maka: What in the hell?

Crona: Oh God…now the fangirls are going to be even worse than before…

Stein: The what?

Maka: _Don't ask_.

**"**_**Ragnarok**_**," Miss Marie said again, but she probably realized trying to stop him was useless.**

**"But don't worry, Crona, I'll be gentle when I screw Maka—"**

Maka: If he even tried, I'd decapitate him.

**Crona could feel his cheeks warming as he tried to block out Ragnarok's words. He wouldn't think about Maka that way—no, not the way Ragnarok was talking about her, at least. That just seemed really rude and horrible to Crona. He did think Maka was pretty. Miss Marie and Tsubaki and Liz and Patty and Kid and lots of people were all pretty too. But to Crona, Maka was special—not because she was pretty, even, but because he shared something with her. That feeling probably had something to do with their friendship. Maka said they were friends, but since Crona had never understood what that meant until he came to Shibusen, he didn't know how to work out all those feelings.**

Crona: …*head hits tray again*

Marie: …should we just move on?

Maka: _Please_.

**Crona knew Ragnarok was his friend too, probably even his best friend since they'd been together so long. But he didn't have the kinds of feelings Ragnarok had—**_**pervy **_**ones as Maka would have called them.**

**"The food is really good, Miss Marie," said Crona quietly. Ragnarok had been so wrapped up in talking about who to screw first that he'd managed to let Crona eat some of his own dinner. Crona didn't really eat that much food anyway, so he still handed his mostly-full plate to Ragnarok.**

**"Yep, delicious!" said Ragnarok. "Needed more salt but whatever, I don't care, I was starving!"**

**Miss Marie smiled and said, "Oh, that you so much, I really had been hoping it wasn't terrible—did you like it, Stein?"**

**But Stein was staring into space. He hadn't even touched his food.**

Marie: …to be fair, he wasn't _that_ spacey.

Stein: Thank you.

**"All right, well I'm outta here!" said Ragnarok, standing up. He stumbled a bit at first but had no problem racing to the door.**

**"Are you sure—" Miss Marie began, but he was gone before she could finish, and Dr. Stein hadn't even noticed a thing.**

**Crona was so angry at Ragnarok, and yet he wished he'd stayed, but he didn't go after him because he hated going out anyway.**

Crona: …you're not going after him because you don't like to go out? *stands up* _Go anyway_! He just said he's going to go and rape all of your friends! Why aren't you trying to stop him? What is _wrong_ with you?

Marie: …does this happen a lot?

Crona: *sits down* Us wondering what's wrong with our other selves…?

Marie: Yeah.

Crona: Too often…

**And he thought maybe he should stay and keep Miss Marie company. He worried about being a bother, but she always said she liked looking after him.**

**He really felt sorry for Miss Marie. He knew it had to be hard for her to take care of all of them, even Stein. And now that Ragnarok had his own body, Crona could tell that Miss Marie's family life—whatever that was—had just gotten a lot more difficult.**

Marie: Not to mention utterly bizarre.

Stein: I'm a mad scientist. Bizarre is when I'm having an off day.

/

The lights soon came back on, Crona's eyes already averted downwards. He could tell Maka and Marie were giving him concerned looks, but he didn't care right then.

He knew, looking back on this, that this would definitely be the most embarrassing experience of his life.

He heard someone get out of their seat, and peeked up to see that it had been Stein. He was standing in front of his seat, facing the screen.

"So…" Stein began. "Someone wrote what they believed to be us? They took their interpretations of who we are, and tried to explain them to us?"

"…that's one way of putting it, I guess." Maka responded.

Stein reached into his coat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He placed one in his mouth, then pulled out a match, striking it along the side of the pack. He took a second to light the cigarette, quickly shaking the match out afterwards. He then took a deep drag, pulling the cigarette away and exhaling into the air.

"...then, in that case, there's nothing to be worried about."

Crona looked up in surprise, not understanding what Stein was talking about.

"It was simply a misinformed opinion of us. It wasn't who we really are. Therefore, it's nothing to be concerned about." Stein explained.

With that, Stein placed the cigarette back in his mouth, then turned and headed for the stairs.

Marie watched Stein for a second, before turning to look at Maka and Crona. She flashed them a smile, jerking a thumb back at Stein.

"What he said."

She then got out of her seat and quickly ran after Stein, catching up to him and linking arms with him again.

Maka slowly got out of her chair, Crona soon doing the same. The two watched Marie and Stein ascend the stairs for a few moments, before Maka looked at Crona.

"Well…figures that Stein would figure it out that quickly."

Crona simply nodded, eyes still watching the two of them.

"…you OK, Crona?"

Crona looked at Maka, trying to think of an answer. He just sat down to review an incredibly embarrassing and very intruding (albeit mercifully short) fic, featuring himself and the two people his fans liked to interpret as his surrogate parents. And despite that, they both simply brushed off what they had seen as though it was nothing. And while Maka did make sense in that Stein would figure out a solution very quickly, it was still incredible to him.

So, he simply told Maka the truth.

"…I have no idea."

Maka gave a slight smile, wrapping an arm around Crona's shoulders.

"Honestly? I'm as lost as you are right now."

Crona smiled slightly in response, not really having much else to say.

"Hey, are you two coming?"

Maka and Crona looked up to see Marie calling back at them.

"Uh, yeah! Just a sec!" Maka answered.

She pulled away from Crona and ran up the stairs, Crona soon following her.

Crona had quite a bit to think about. The Host could still bring in someone else for more reviews, and it could be anyone Crona knew. He didn't know when this was going to end, or even if it ever would end. It could just keep going forever until the day Crona finally died.

But, for the time being, Crona chose to ignore all of that. Stein and Marie's conversation sounded a lot more interesting anyway.

"You know, this wasn't so bad." Marie remarked. "Sure, it was horribly destructive to our minds and all, but in the end, it could've been worse."

"Yes, I supposed that's true." Stein replied. "It was actually a rather informative experience."

"…what say we never, ever do it again?"

"I would have to agree to that."

/

Epilogue

"So you mean to tell me that not only are we fictional characters, but we are also in an alternate reality ourselves?" Stein asked.

"Y-Yes…" Crona replied.

"…and when did you find this out?"

"Just recently…"

Stein sighed, coming to a stop in front of the door leading to his house. He took one last drag off of his cigarette, before dropping it on the ground, then grinding it with his shoe. He then turned to look at Crona, his hands in his pockets.

"Crona, you really impress me sometimes."

Crona flushed at the compliment. "H-Huh?"

"Not only have you harbored knowledge of this magnitude for so long, but you've managed to keep quiet about it without cracking under the strain. Then again, you have seemed like the type to be good at keeping a secret…"

Crona looked away, not really sure he wanted to be known for that.

"I-I think you're overestimating me a little bit, Professor Stein…"

"Nonsense. This is a lot to think about. The concept of alternate realities alone would take forever to analyze every detail and possibility."

He looked down at his shoe. "Take the cigarette I just put out, for example."

Crona frowned, looking down at Stein's shoe as well.

"In this reality, I put it out with my foot." Stein explained. "But if I chose to just let it burn, that would've resulted in another reality. Or if I took the cigarette inside the house and put it out inside, that would've been another reality. Or if I never smoked the cigarette to begin with, that would've created another one."

Crona looked back up at Stein, slightly confused.

"Each of our choices results in a different path taken, Crona." Stein continued. "So each choice we make results in one reality, while the choice we didn't take results in another. And considering the numerous amount of choices we make in one day alone, there could be trillions of alternate realities out there."

Crona nodded slightly. "The Host did mention something about that on the first day…"

Stein raised an eyebrow. "Did he?"

"Y-Yes…he said that we could explore that concept once the space around the theater had expanded enough…"

Stein gave a slight "hm", rubbing his chin. "A tempting offer. Anyone would be curious about what would've happened if they made a different choice. This Host is more devious than I first thought…"

Crona wasn't entirely sure if Stein was speaking out of respect or contempt for The Host, but chose not to ask.

"And when one considered the various possibilities that could rise from just one major choice alone…"

Stein sighed, turning around and heading inside his house, twisting his screw while doing so.

"Awful lot to think about…awful lot…"

Crona frowned, then gave a small jump when Marie suddenly walked up beside him, giving him a smile.

"Don't worry about him." she said. "He hates philosophy. He'll get tired of this and then get back to picking apart bodies like he always does."

Crona nodded, feeling a mix of both relief and disappointment. If anyone could've figured out some answers for him and Maka, it would've been Stein. But if he decided to not pursue the matter…

Marie walked past Crona, sitting down on the small ledge in front of the front door. She patted the space beside her, and Crona soon walked over and sat beside her.

"You OK?" Marie asked.

Crona nodded slightly. "I-I'll be fine…are you OK?"

Marie smiled. "I'm alright, Crona. But thank you for asking."

Crona smiled back, then soon looked away, hugging his knees to his chest.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, Crona feeling a bit nervous. It felt almost like there was something looming over their heads. Some little thing that he felt was going to come crashing down any second.

"…this is probably a bad time to ask you this, Crona…" Marie started.

Crona looked up at her to see her staring at him, head tilted.

"But have you given any thought to that offer I made?"

Crona froze. Because of the events that had taken place, he had completely forgot about what Marie had recently asked him. It had been running through his mind for the past couple of days, but he still didn't have an answer that sounded right.

He looked down, silently hoping that Marie hadn't brought it up.

"…if you still need some more time to think about it-" Marie started.

Crona shook his head. He had an answer. He just wished it was a better one.

"…listen, Professor Marie-"

"Please, Crona…just Marie will do."

Crona flinched slightly. She was making this harder on him and she didn't even realize it.

"M-M-Marie…it's just…it's not that I don't want to…to live with you…"

Marie tilted her head. "Did today have anything to do with this?"

Crona shook his head. "No…"

"…oh, alright. I guess I understand. It'd be kind of weird if your friends were all living by themselves while you were living with a couple of old-timers like us, huh?"

Crona's head shot up, eyes widened in surprise.

"N-No! That's not it at all! Really, it isn't!"

Marie stared at Crona for a few seconds, before an angry frown came over her face.

"…it's because of Medusa, isn't it?"

Crona flinched, quickly looking away from her. He heard her give a sigh, before gently patting the top of his head.

"It's alright, Crona. I understand. You were stuck with her for fifteen years. I imagine you'd want the chance to live on your own, now that she's finally gone."

"…I'm sorry, Marie…"

Marie blinked. "For what?"

"…for making you waste your time with me…"

Crona felt Marie's hand leave his head. He was then surprised to feel it move under his chin, turning his head around so he was facing her again.

He got an even bigger surprise when Marie suddenly pressed her lips against his forehead.

She stayed there for a few seconds, before pulling away and looking at his face. She giggled slightly at the bright blush on his cheeks.

"You're so sweet, Crona. You're so busy worrying about everyone else that you take almost no time to think about yourself."

Crona looked down, face still bright red. "Th-That's something we have in common…M-Marie…"

Marie's smile grew wider, and she soon pulled Crona into a tight hug. Crona returned the gesture, resting his head on Marie's shoulder.

"…Crona, I want you to understand something." Marie whispered. "Even if you want to live on your own…if things ever get bad for you, you'll always have a place here. OK?"

Crona closed his eyes, trying as hard as possible to not start crying.

"O-OK…"

Marie pulled away, looking at Crona and showing him her warm smile. She then got up to her feet, Crona soon following suit. She headed for the door, waving at Crona while doing so.

"See you tomorrow, Crona."

Crona waved back, only stopping when Marie went inside. He stood there for a few seconds, looking at the house.

It would've been so easy to just say "yes" and have a place to live. Some place that wasn't a cramped room in a dungeon of the school. And the house wasn't a bad one. It was a little small, but it had a unique air to it. He would've had his own room, and his own bed, rather than just something the school lent to him. There would've been two people there to greet him every morning when he woke up, and two people to say goodnight to him when he went to sleep.

It would've been so easy. It might've even been nice.

And yet, Crona knew it wasn't right. Not so long as he kept thinking of Medusa every time Marie comforted him…

He still had a lot to work on. He knew that for a fact. He had to grow up some, and he knew he had to do it alone.

_No._ Crona thought as he turned and started walking away. _It's not time yet._

It wouldn't be the right time for a while, he suspected.

But maybe one day, he could truly call this place home.

/

Aaaaaaaalright, another one out of the way!

As always, recommendations and fanmail are encouraged and appreciated!

See you in a few!


	24. Wrath

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're ready. The next few chapters are gonna be doozies.

No reviews for a while, first of all. Instead, these will all be aside chapters, one after the other, for the next three updates. And they're going to be pretty significant in terms of plot, so you don't want to miss these.

Without any further delay, away we go.

/

Many people look to the beach as a place to rest and relax. The bright sun warming the sand, mixed with the smell and the coolness of the sea, made it one of the prime locations for folks on vacation. Whether it be to hang out with friends, play a sport, or just to rest, the beach was the perfect place to be.

Of course, this didn't apply to all beaches.

"YAHAHAHAHA! Alright, ye scurvy-ridden bilge rats! Get the cargo aboard! Move it!"

The grunts silently obeyed their captain's commands, marching onto the ship with each of their luggage in hands. Their unnaturally orange skin would have caused them to stand out amongst the normal people, but any normal people foolish enough to stick around when they showed up wouldn't be alive for very long. Even then, the bandanas and large broadswords were enough to give indication as to just who and what these beings were.

"I said move it! Get aboard this ship now, or I'll tan all of your hides, ar!"

If the grunts were noticeable, their captain was flat out impossible to miss. Wide to the point of almost being comical, a dirty, unruly red beard, rotting yellow teeth, and a grin that proudly displayed them would've been more than enough to scare people away. But the fact that he had two wooden legs, a gigantic hook for one hand, and what was unmistakably a cannon for the other, was proof that this captain was a certifiable monster.

The grunts quickly moved onto the ship, not wanting to anger the captain further. Two of them brought a treasure chest forward, placing it on the deck in front of him.

"Alright, let's see what ye scallywags managed to scrounge up." the captain growled, waddling closer to the chest, his feet making loud thunks against the wooden deck.

The grunts quickly opened the chest, allowing the captain to gaze down at their quarry. He grinned as the gentle blue light from the numerous souls within it lit up his face.

"Aye…now this be a haul…" he said, licking his lips with his oversized tongue. He raised his hook hand above his head.

"Congratulations, men! Tonight, we feast!"

A roar of victory came from the rabble of grunts, each of them raising their swords up. They continued to give cheer after cheer, the captain relishing their conquest.

"Not so fast!"

The rabble suddenly turned around to find the source of the voice. Standing on the deck that they had just left were Maka and Soul, both of them glaring at the monstrous crew.

The grunts started growling and shouting at the two of them, already expecting a fight. The thunking of the captain's feet were heard again as he marched towards the side of the ship.

"Alright, alright! Simmer down, the lot of ya!" he barked, before stopping at the side, glaring back at Maka and Soul. "And just who might you be?"

"We are students of the DWMA, assigned with slaying monsters who consume the souls of the innocent!" Maka shouted back. "More specifically, we are members of the elite group known as Spartoi!"

She readjusted the sleeve of her white uniform, before raising a hand and pointing at the captain, causing him to blink in surprise.

"Dread Pirate Long John Silver!" Maka shouted. "We've come for your soul!"

The crew behind Silver started shouting again, some of them stepping forward to prepare for battle. Silver raised his hook hand, quickly quieting them down again. A wide, toothy grin appeared on his face.

"Have ye now?" he sneered. "And just how do ye plan on doin' that? What can two little runts like you hope to do against all of us?"

"Man, I knew you guys weren't all that bright…" Soul started, slipping his hands into the pockets of his white jacket. "But I figured you guys could at least do basic math."

"Eh?" Silver grunted.

A grin came over Soul's face. "Two of us? You really sure about that?"

"…what the devil are ye-"

Silver stopped, suddenly realizing what Soul was getting at. He spun around to look back at his crew.

"_They've got reinforcements_!"

Silver and his crew started looking around the ship frantically, expecting an attack to come from any direction. A couple of the crewmembers almost attacked one another by accident, but beyond that, nothing happened.

Not entirely satisfied, Silver pointed at two of the grunts. "Check below deck! They may already be on the ship!"

The grunts nodded, quickly running for the door and heading below. The rest of the crew continued to watch around the area, expecting an attack to come.

Soul leaned over to Maka. "Where _is_ he…?" he hissed through grit teeth.

"I don't know!" Maka hissed back. "He was supposed to be here by now!"

Soon enough, the two grunts came back, shrugging their shoulders and holding their hands out.

"Nothin'?" Silver shouted at them. "There was no one down there?"

The grunts shook their heads, only confusing Silver further. He then slowly turned to look back at Maka and Soul, who were both looking rather nervous.

"…a bluff, eh?" Silver remarked, his toothy grin returning. "Aw, that's very cute, children. But here be a bit of advice for ye."

He raised his cannon arm, aiming at the two of them. Maka and Soul both tensed, getting ready for battle.

"It generally be a good idea to attack while they're distracted!"

"We'll have to do this without him…" Soul whispered.

Maka gave a frustrated sigh, but nodded in acceptance.

The three combatants all stared at one another, waiting for the other to make the first move. The air around them grew tense, none of them moving an inch.

_SPLOOSH_!

The tension was soon broken by a loud splashing noise, the crew and Silver turning around to see a jet of water suddenly shoot up from the other side of the boat. Coming out of the jet was what appeared to be a black, screaming blur, which suddenly started falling down onto the deck.

The blur soon collided with a helpless grunt, causing them both to skid along the deck until they came to a stop. Silver blinked in surprise when he saw just what had hit one of his men.

"…oh. There he is." Soul remarked.

Crona gave a small groan, rubbing his head as he got to his knees, using Ragnarok's sword form for support. He looked up to see Maka and Soul on the deck, staring at him.

"U-Um…s-sorry I'm late…?" Crona offered.

He winced slightly when Soul's hand met his own face, while Maka just looked at him in disbelief. He quickly tried to come up with an explanation.

"W-Well, you see…when I was in the water, I-"

A low gurgling sound from underneath him interrupted him. He looked down to see that he was still kneeling on one of the grunts.

The reason for the strange sound was the fact that Ragnarok was currently embedded in his chest.

"…oops." Crona remarked.

The grunt let out one last pitiful "bleh", before his body dissolved, leaving only a red soul. A mouth suddenly split open on the sword, and Ragnarok gave a great inhale, sucking the soul closer and quickly eating it. He gave a few loud chews before swallowing, followed by a loud belch.

…_well, that was easier than I thought._ Crona thought, before looking back up.

He froze when he saw the furious expressions on the rest of the crewmembers.

"…uh-oh."

"_KILL THAT MISERABLE RAT_!" Silver roared.

The grunts let out a unanimous war cry, before quickly dog-piling on a frightened Crona. He let out a scream of his own just as they started landing on him.

"…we should probably go help." Soul remarked.

Maka rolled her eyes. "Gee, you think?"

She held out her hand as Soul transformed into a bright blue light, quickly reforming as his scythe form in her hand. She started running along the wooden path before leaping off at the end, soaring through the air before landing on the ship's deck. She was already running past Silver just as he was turning to look at her.

"'Scuse me!" she shouted, before heading for the pile of grunts covering Crona.

A couple of grunts looked up as Maka ran towards them, but she quickly knocked them aside. She started pulling and pushing the grunts away from the pile, each one giving a loud shout when she did so.

Once she got down to the last one, she suddenly had to step aside as the grunt was knocked towards her. After it had moved, she ran over to a dazed Crona, who quickly shook his head as she approached.

She held her hand out to him. "You alright?"

Crona nodded, taking her hand. "Yeah, I'm-AH!"

Crona suddenly yanked Maka down towards him, and Maka quickly learned why when she felt a blade whizz past the back of her head, taking the ends of a few pigtail hairs with it.

Maka quickly noticed that she was now incredibly close to Crona's face, partially sprawled on top of him as he laid back on the wooden deck. They both blushed and Crona looked away, but he soon let out another shout when he saw what was above him.

He pushed Maka away from him and they both rolled away just as a blade came down and struck the deck, embedding itself in the wood. Maka looked up to see the grunt holding the sword, trying to pry it back out of the deck.

She quickly ran up to the grunt and jumped up, slamming both of her feet into the grunt's face. It flew back, and Maka soon pulled the sword out of the wood.

"Here, you can have it!" she shouted, throwing the blade at the grunt just as it was getting back up. The sword landed with a _THUNK_ in the grunt's skull, and it soon fell back once again, dissipating once it hit the ground.

Maka and Crona ran back towards one another, before turning and facing the horde of very angry pirates. They both charged forward, blades clashing with the swords of the grunts as they tried to push them away.

"Crona!" Maka called out as she knocked a sword aside with Soul. "What kept you? The plan was for you to sneak up on them while we were distracting them!"

"I-I tried!" Crona cried back, hitting a grunt with the hilt of Ragnarok. "B-But I had trouble getting out of the water!"

"You told me you were a good swimmer!" Maka shouted as she quickly sliced into a grunt's shoulder, causing it to roar in pain.

"I am! B-But I thought I could jump out of the water like in the movies!" Crona shouted back as he cut into the neck of another grunt, kicking it away as it gave a last gurgle.

"…what?" Maka cried out as she smacked a grunt with the flat of Soul's blade.

"W-Well, you know, like whenever the hero makes a big leap out of the water and onto the deck of the ship!" Crona explained, stabbing another grunt in the chest. "But I couldn't do it, so I had Ragnarok send a shockwave down to propel me up! But he sent me too high…"

Maka would've given Crona a look of utter disbelief if she wasn't so busy with the swarm in front of her.

"Crona…" Soul started. "You do know that that only happens in the movies because of wires, right?"

Crona turned his head to look at Soul. "They do?"

"Is this really the time for this, you guys?" Maka shouted.

Crona suddenly gave another shout of alarm, Maka seeing that he was looking behind them. She turned to see that, while they were pushing most of the horde forward, some of them had circled back and started coming from behind. The rest of the swarm still remained where they were, effectively leaving the group surrounded.

Maka growled slightly, edging away from the grunts in front of her. She felt Crona's back meet up with her own, and realized that they weren't about to go anywhere.

_Time to put an end to this…_ Maka thought, holding Soul out vertically in front of her.

"OK Crona…just like we practiced, remember?" she called out.

"…OK!" Crona called back, holding Ragnarok vertically as well.

"Soul, you ready?" Maka said to him.

"Yeah." Soul replied.

"Ragnarok?" Crona asked.

"…yeah, yeah, I got it!" Ragnarok answered.

_Nice of him to actually speak for once…_ Maka thought, before focusing on matching her wavelength with the others.

Soon enough, she felt them: Soul's cool, calming waves, the loud and furious energy from Ragnarok, and the gentle warmth that came from Crona.

Four voices then cried out.

"_Chain Soul Resonance_!"

Twin flashes of light suddenly lit up the area, causing the grunts to back away. Blue light surrounded Maka and Soul, and Soul's blade soon became blue energy, enlarging to a double-bladed pendulum. Crona and Ragnarok crackled with purplish-black energy, and Ragnarok's blade soon became engulfed in it, forming eyes and a mouth on a black edge.

Maka and Crona lowered their weapons, holding them horizontally in front of them. They slowly moved them back, before swinging into the horde.

"_Witch Hunter_!"

"_Screech Beta_!"

The blades of energy sliced through all of the grunts, completely decimating the lot of them. One by one, they disintegrated into nothingness, the only things left behind being their red souls.

Both Soul and Ragnarok returned to their normal weapon forms, before Crona held Ragnarok high in the air. Ragnarok gave a huge inhale, sucking up all of the souls lingering about and eating them all. He gave a loud belch once he had consumed them all.

"And that just leaves you!" Maka shouted, turning to where Silver had been standing. "…where'd he go?"

Crona looked over to see that Silver had disappeared, and quickly ran over to where he had been, Maka right behind him. They looked over the edge of the ship, not seeing any sign of the monster.

Maka looked over to the side, then cried out. "There he is!"

Crona looked over as well and saw a single rowboat, moving further and further away from the main ship.

"He must've got in while we were busy with the rest of the crew!" Maka shouted.

The two of them ran to the end of the ship, watching as Silver moved further into the distance. Not seeing many other options, Crona quickly thought up an idea. He backed away from the end of the ship, getting a good distance away.

"…Crona?" Maka questioned as she noticed that he had moved.

He started running towards the end of the ship, passing by Maka soon after.

"…no, wait a second, Crona!" Maka cried out.

By then, it was too late. Right before he reached the edge, Crona placed Ragnarok's hilt in between his teeth. He then dove off of the end of the ship, hitting the water below with a loud _SPLASH_.

Maka ran over and looked down, searching for any sign of Crona. She soon saw him surface a few feet away, and watched in mild amazement as he quickly started swimming towards Silver, actually starting to catch up with him.

"…wow. He _is_ a good swimmer." Maka remarked.

"How can he be so good in that dress of his, anyway?" Soul wondered.

"Robe."

"Whatever."

Meanwhile, Crona had managed to make it to Silver's boat, grabbing the side and pulling himself up. Silver looked up as Crona boarded, and let out a growl of rage.

"You again?"

He got to his feet, swinging his hook at Crona, only for it to be blocked by Ragnarok's blade. Crona pushed him back and swung at him, but was soon blocked by the hook. This went back and forth a few times, each swing of each weapon being blocked by the other, the clangs of the metal echoing in the air around them.

"I thought the captain was supposed to go down with his ship?" Crona grunted out, blocking another swing of the hook.

"Me ship still be standing, brat!" Silver shouted back, pulling his hook back to bring Crona closer. "I can always come back fer it later!"

Crona gagged as Silver's foul breath reached his nose, and he pushed his face away from him. He swung Ragnarok again, clashing with Silver's hook. "And what about your crew? Were they just a distraction?"

"I can always get more of those!" Silver answered, pushing his hook against Ragnarok. "Ye'd be surprised how many are willing to start eatin' souls for power, child!"

He then gave another shove, pushing Crona further back. Silver then raised his cannon arm and fired.

Crona only barely noticed the loud _BOOM_ that came from the cannon, and instead focused on swinging Ragnarok to deflect the cannonball coming for him. Ragnarok clanged with the ball as it was sent flying into the water beside them. A second _BOOM_ was heard and Crona quickly deflected another shot. Then, a third _BOOM_, and Crona raised Ragnarok to block the shot.

He was surprised when Ragnarok easily sliced through the ball, sending the two halves spiraling into the water.

Silver gaped at Crona, shocked that he had managed to deflect all of his shots. Crona noticed something else was amiss.

…_where's the kaboom?_ he thought. _Isn't there supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom?_

"Hey!" Ragnarok suddenly shouted. "You mean to tell me you've just been shooting hunks of iron at us?"

"Aye, don't ye be insulting my balls!" Silver roared back. "I take great pride in me iron balls!"

The only sound that was heard for a short time was the sound of gulls in the distance. Both Crona and Ragnarok were left in stunned silence, until Ragnarok spoke a few seconds later.

"…did he really just-"

"He did." Crona answered.

"…that's it, cut off his cannon."

"Roger."

Crona ran forward, deflecting a swing by Silver's hook, then swinging to his right, cutting into Silver's cannon arm. He sliced through the flesh that was at the base of arm, soon moving through the arm and sending the cannon falling to the wooden deck.

Silver let out a cry of pain as blood rocketed out of his arm, spraying out into the water below them.

"Me arm! Me precious ar-"

_SHLIK_!

Silver was cut off when Crona shoved Ragnarok down his throat, the blade piercing through the back of his neck. Silver gagged a few times, struggling about like a fish on a hook. Before long, he gave one last pitiful gurgle, before disintegrating like all the others, his red soul floating where he stood.

Crona gave a small sigh as Ragnarok inhaled and consumed this last soul, somewhat thankful that his task was complete. He then heard what sounded oddly like clapping coming from behind him.

He turned around to see Maka hovering behind him, clapping while sitting atop Soul in his flying form.

"Nice job, Crona!" Maka cheered.

"Yeah, you really kicked some ass, man!" Soul added.

Crona blushed brightly, looking down while rubbing the back of his head.

"Th-Thank you…"

"One quick question, though." Maka said.

Crona looked up to see that her expression had changed to one of mild concern.

"Why did you jump off of the ship?"

Crona blinked, confused at the question.

"…I didn't want him to get away…?"

"Well, yeah, I know, but…" Maka started, before pointing down at Soul. "We could've just flown over here."

Crona looked down at Soul, suddenly realizing that he had completely forgot that he could fly.

"…oh. Right."

He looked away, his face flushing again in embarrassment. This, coupled with his blunder from earlier, only made him feel like more of an amateur.

"And you!"

Crona looked up again in surprise at the sudden change in Maka's tone of voice. He then noticed that she wasn't looking at him, but off to his side, at Ragnarok.

"Now that you're actually out here, you mind explaining to me what your problem's been lately? No one's seen you for days!"

That wasn't entirely true, but Crona wasn't about to correct her. He had seen Ragnarok, but only when it was the two of them alone, and only for brief periods of time.

He looked down at Ragnarok, waiting to see what he would say.

Ragnarok quickly transformed into black energy and returned to Crona's back, not even popping out in his normal state.

"Hey!" Maka shouted. "Don't ignore me! Get back out here and answer me!"

Crona winced slightly when Ragnarok didn't reply. He heard Maka give a loud growl of frustration, before she hovered closer to him.

"Fine, let him be a miserable sulk!" she grumbled, before she jerked a thumb behind her. "Hop on."

Crona blinked, slightly worried about the dangers of flying on Soul. He soon obeyed, however, carefully climbing on to him and sitting behind Maka.

"Better hang on." she remarked.

Crona instinctively wrapped his hands around Maka's waist, quickly blushing at the contact. Before his brain could tell him to let go, they took off, flying through the air and back to the mainland.

It wasn't quite the same as when Crona flew alone. He wasn't really in control, and he was in greater danger of falling at any time. And yet, he could still feel the wind whizzing past him, and that feeling of freedom was still present.

Also, Maka was with him.

So it may not have been the same. But in a way, it was better.

/

All in all, it had been a good mission.

Crona had mixed feelings about being asked to take this on. On the one hand, he was happy that he had had the chance to actually do something for Death City, rather than just reside in it for nothing. On the other hand, Lord Death had specifically asked Maka and Soul to go with him.

It wasn't that he didn't want to have Maka with him if he went out. It was that Death had asked her to. It made him wonder what Death was thinking.

_Maybe he thinks I'll run off again…_ Crona thought, picking up a stray dead branch.

The sun had already started to set, so Maka decided that they should set up camp for the night and head back to the academy in the morning. Some part of Crona thought it was a bad idea, what with sleeping in an unprotected forest at night. As well as possibly upsetting Lord Death. But Maka had assured him it would be fine, so he tried to not worry about it too much.

He and Maka had since wandered off into the forest to look for firewood, while Soul set up the campsite. Crona couldn't help but wonder if Soul was purposely trying to get them alone together, since it was his suggestion that they go. He was almost starting to regret his talk with him.

Key term being "almost".

"Hey." Maka said, walking up beside Crona. "Sorry for how I was acting earlier."

Crona blinked in surprise, then shook his head. "I-It's OK…I know he bothers you a lot…"

Maka sighed. "It's not even that…I was getting used to him being his usual bratty self, but now he's acting completely different…"

Crona frowned, looking over his shoulder. _Why is he acting so weird…? …did I do something wrong…?_

"Anyway…" Maka said, suddenly wrapping an arm around Crona's shoulders. "You did a good job today, Crona."

Crona blinked, flushing slightly. "I-I did?"

"Of course you did! I mean, twenty-five souls in one mission? You're already a quarter of the way to making a Death Scythe and you've just started collecting souls! That's gotta be a record!"

Crona flushed brighter, looking away sheepishly. Truth be told, he didn't really know why he was working towards making Ragnarok into a Death Scythe. It just seemed like something he should be doing. Maybe then, he'd start to gain some degree of respect from the people of Death City.

"I-I only did it thanks to you, Maka…" Crona muttered.

"I pretty much just helped you with the faceless goons, Crona." Maka replied. "You're the one who took down the main target, and by yourself, no less."

_Not exactly by myself…_ Crona thought.

"Not only that, but you deliberately went after him." Maka continued. "You could've just let him go, but you chose to go after him. You made that choice yourself."

Crona frowned, not sure if he should tell Maka he was just scared of making Lord Death angry with him. He then felt Maka gently turn him around to face her. He saw the warm smile on her face as she pulled him forward into a hug.

"I'm really proud of you, Crona."

Crona froze, Maka's words ringing in his head. She was proud of him. He had actually made Maka proud of him, and she told him as much. He was completely lost as to what to do.

After all, the last time someone had said that to him…

_NO._ Crona told himself. _It's Maka. It's completely different. It's Maka. You can't let this keep happening._

So instead, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her close, happy that he had finally done something right. He felt Maka squeeze him back, giving a small hum as well.

The combination of having felt like he accomplished something with the usual warmth he got from hugging Maka made Crona feel absolutely wonderful. He almost wished that it would never end.

Sadly, it had to. He felt Maka start to pull away and reluctantly let her go, instead focusing on the smile on her face.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

Crona nodded. "Much."

Maka's smile widened. "Good."

With that, the two separated and Maka walked off to gather more firewood.

Crona knelt down, gathering a few more stray branches littered on the ground. He looked over at Maka, who had started gathering a few herself.

He hated to ruin the good mood, but he felt now would be a good time to ask about what had been bugging him.

"Maka?"

"Hm?"

"Does Lord Death not trust me?"

Maka turned to look at him, concern evident on her face. She then gave a small sigh.

"This has to do with me coming along, doesn't it?"

Crona flinched, looking away from her. He heard her give another sigh.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Honestly, if I was in your position, I wouldn't be all that happy either."

Crona looked back at her, watching her pick up a few more branches.

"You have to understand, Lord Death can be a tricky one to figure out." Maka explained. "He never flat out explains anything. He just lets people figure things out for themselves."

She picked up a couple more and placed them in the small pile building up in her arms. "So it's not really a matter of whether or not _he_ trusts you. I'm willing to bet he does, because he is generally a trusting individual. I think he just wants to let you prove to everyone else that you _can_ be trusted. He asked me and Soul to come along so that he'd have word from official Spartoi members."

She got to her feet, walking over to Crona. "But, even if he hadn't asked me, I'd have wanted to come along anyway."

Crona blinked in surprise. "Really…?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I want to see you kick some ass?"

Maka grinned as Crona got to his feet. "C'mon, let's head back."

She then started walking back to the campsite, Crona quietly following her.

He couldn't help but wonder if Maka wasn't being entirely truthful in her explanation. Crona didn't particularly like fighting or killing, and Maka knew that. So why say that she wanted to see him fight?

He suspected she just wanted to keep an eye on him, but he wasn't entirely sure why. It couldn't possibly be because she didn't trust him. He knew that wasn't the case.

…_is she worried about me?_ Crona wondered. _But why would she be?_

/

Crona gave a slight mumble as he awoke, blinking as he saw the stars above him.

It had been an uneventful evening. After they had set up camp, and Maka called the academy to let them know what was going on, things had been relatively quiet. Since it was the first camping trip Crona had ever been on, Maka and Soul tried their best to make the experience enjoyable for him. Maka had taught him how to make s'mores, which Crona just couldn't get enough of. (though the reason for the name escaped him a bit) Soul tried to entertain them with a ghost story, but it really didn't work all that well.

Naturally, the subject of the theater had popped up, and Maka and Crona had told Soul what had happened since his appearance. The fics themselves hadn't been all that bad since, with the exception of the ones from Kid and the Thompsons' appearance and Stein and Marie's appearance. Crona had told Soul of his worries regarding more people being brought in, and Soul told him that it didn't seem very likely, but if it did happen, the best he could do was accept it and fight through it.

He hadn't told either Maka or Soul about the offer Marie had made him. The subject had never come up, and Crona didn't want to bring it up. He still had a lot of thinking to do in that regard, and felt it would be better to do it on his own. He suspected that Maka would want him to say yes, but probably wouldn't force him into it.

Just as well that she didn't. Crona would've said yes in a second if Maka asked him to, and he knew it.

Thinking about Maka brought him back to reality, and he looked beside him at the nearby sleeping bag. He smiled slightly as he saw Maka sleeping peacefully, a content smile on her face.

_I should go back to sleep._ he thought. _She won't be happy if I start missing sleep again._

He started to turn over to return to slumber, when he felt a strange, yet familiar sensation.

…_bathroom first._

He carefully unzipped his bag and quietly crawled out of it, making sure not to wake either Maka or Soul. He then slowly tiptoed away from the campsite, making sure to remember the path he was walking so he didn't get lost. He walked for a few short minutes, getting a good distance away from them.

_This should be far enough._ he thought. He then found a tree and carefully lifted the hem of his robe.

Once he had taken care of business, he lowered his robe and gave a sigh of relief, before turning and starting to head back.

He stopped in mid-step when he heard that always-familiar _splortch_, and felt Ragnarok suddenly pop out of his back, perching on top of his head.

"Ragna-MMPH!" Crona started, but was cut off when Ragnarok covered his mouth with his hand.

"_Shhhhh_!" Ragnarok hissed, glaring down at him. He then looked up, quickly scanning the area for any signs of life.

Once he felt it was safe, he removed his hand from Crona's mouth.

"OK. Coast is clear." he whispered. He then started pushing Crona away from the direction he was initially heading. "Let's go."

Crona blinked. "Go? Where?"

"I don't know, anywhere. Somewhere. Let's just go."

"Why?"

"Because I fucking said so, _let's go_."

"But we have to go back to the campsite-"

"Oh for fuck's sake…" Ragnarok grumbled, before returning to Crona's body. Crona only got a short reprieve before another _splortch_ was heard, as Ragnarok then came out of Crona's chest.

"Do I have to fucking spell this out for you?" he hissed. "_We're leaving_. We're not going back to the campsite, we're not going back to the city, we're getting as far away from these people as we possibly can."

Crona stared at Ragnarok, his words only barely registering in his mind. The whole thing seemed so random and came completely out of nowhere, that Crona was caught totally off-guard.

"…_what_?" was all he could hiss back.

"You heard me! We're out of here!"

"…but why?"

"Why? _Why_? You're seriously asking me _why_?" Ragnarok growled back, before pointing back at the campsite. "Because of _her_, you twit!"

"…Ragnarok-"

"No, don't you even start! We're not going to discuss this, we're going to fucking leave!"

"Ragnarok, we're not leaving them just because you don't like Maka!"

"…you fucking dolt, this has nothing to do with me not liking her! It has to do with _you_ liking her _too much_!"

Now Crona was even more lost than before. They had to leave because he cared about Maka? Where was the logic in that?

"…what are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't even try to act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Ragnarok growled. "You know _exactly_ what I'm fucking talking about!"

Crona flushed, looking away from Ragnarok. "Y-You're not making any sense…"

"It's real fucking simple! At first I thought this was just you substituting Medusa with her, but then I thought it was just you going through your first crush, but _no_! This is a whole lot fucking deeper than that!"

He grabbed Crona's face and turned it so he was facing him, glaring directly into his eyes.

"You think I haven't noticed the way you act around her? You think I haven't realized just how _bad_ you've got it for her?"

"Ragnarok…" Crona mumbled.

"You would do abso-fucking-lutely anything for her, wouldn't you? You honestly couldn't imagine living without her, could you?"

Crona felt a sudden flash of anger towards Ragnarok. _Why is he suddenly asking all of this now?_

He smacked both of his hands away, glaring back at him.

"Why do you suddenly care? You haven't brought anything like this up before…"

"Because I didn't realize just how fucking bad you had it! But now I know, and that's why we have to go _now_!"

"Why? If I'm so attached to her, why would you make me leave her?"

"Because, you fucking twat, _she's going to die_!"

To say that that got Crona's attention would be like saying the sun rises in the east. he quickly grabbed ahold of Ragnarok's shoulders, shaking him slightly.

"What? Why? Where? How? What's going to happen? How do you know?"

"I don't know!" Ragnarok answered, smacking his hands away. "I don't know the when, where, why, how, who, or what! I just know that it's gonna happen!"

"…how?"

"Because everyone dies, idiot!"

…_he can't be serious._ Crona thought.

"…that's it?" he whispered. "That's why we have to leave? Because she's going to die _eventually_?"

"Hey, I don't know when it's going to happen, and neither do you!" Ragnarok whispered back. "It could happen decades from now, or in a few years, or in a month, a week, or even a day! She could be dying right now and you wouldn't even know it!"

He moved closer, his face getting right in front of Crona's. "And we don't know _how_ it's going to happen, but it'll still happen! Maybe she'll get sick! Maybe she'll get in an accident! Maybe she'll get to live to be a wrinkled old hag before she finally keels over!"

"So why do we have to go if there's so much we don't know?" Crona hissed.

"Because of what I _do_ know! And what I do know is that when she goes, it'll fucking _destroy_ you."

Crona froze. He couldn't bring himself to admit it, but Ragnarok was right. Just the idea that one day, Maka simply wouldn't be around anymore was devastating. Not being able to talk to her, to see her, to hold her…

_No, stop_. he ordered himself. _Don't start thinking about that. Don't._

"You can't even bring yourself to think about it, can you?" Ragnarok growled, almost as if he read Crona's mind. "It's way too much for you to even handle, isn't it? Because when it happens, you'll fucking snap. You'll lose everything that you've worked so hard to achieve, because you'll throw it all away when she keels over."

Crona glared at Ragnarok, his teeth now grit. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"…oh, I don't, huh?" Ragnarok whispered. "Fine. Here's the worst-case scenario."

Ragnarok took a breath, then started explaining.

"We're in a battle. A big one. And we're getting our asses handed to us."

"Who are we fighting?" Crona asked.

"Doesn't matter! It could be anyone from Asura to some dumbass who got lucky! Point is, we're losing! Then…the worst happens. He gets a shot in, and Maka's dead."

Crona shivered, the image of Maka falling from some unknown attack suddenly appearing in his mind.

"Don't…" he whispered.

"You run over to her, begging for it all to not be true." Ragnarok continued. "But it's too late. She's gone. She didn't even stay to say goodbye to you."

Maka's lifeless body was vividly clear in Crona's mind.

"Stop…"

"Her body slowly dissolves away, and that precious Grigori soul of hers slowly floats up, up, and away, off to Heaven or wherever the souls wind up."

The small blue soul was flying farther and farther away from him.

"No…"

"You've lost her. She's gone forever, and there's nothing that you can do about it. …so, you snap."

It was happening in his mind. He could see himself giving a cry of pure fury, his scream resounding around him.

"You and me, we go after this guy, and rightfully so." Ragnarok continued. "We take him down, and we butcher him like a fucking pig."

He could see it happening, the face changing constantly. Asura, Justin, Noah, Arachne, Giriko, Free, Eruka, Mizune.

Medusa.

It keeps changing, and he doesn't care. He's pinned them down and just started hacking away at them, flesh and blood flying into the air with each strike.

"Finally, we fucking kill them, and I eat their soul."

The soul kept changing shape and colour, but it doesn't matter, as the Ragnarok in Crona's mind soon consumes it.

"But it's not enough, is it? It didn't change a thing. Maka's still dead. You're still hurting."

It was true. He could see the grief and pain on his other self's face. It didn't do any good.

"Then…who comes up beside you to comfort you? It's Soul. Her partner. Her best friend. You know how badly this is hurting him."

He could see it now, Soul slowly walking up to his other self. He placed a hand on his shoulder, not saying a word.

"And then…you skewer him."

Crona looked up in surprise.

"_What_?"

"He was her partner! He was supposed to protect her! It's _his_ fault she's dead!"

Suddenly, he could see it. Him stabbing Ragnarok right through Soul, his body quickly dissolving before he could even register what happened.

"No…"

"I eat his soul too, because by this point, what difference does it make?"

The blue soul that once belonged to Soul Eater is suddenly swallowed by Ragnarok, the other Crona not showing any emotion other than rage.

"But it's still not enough! Then, you see the others. Black*Star and Tsubaki. They were her comrades! Her friends! They were supposed to protect her! It's _their_ fault she's dead!"

"No, stop!"

Black*Star and Tsubaki's bodies were being hacked to pieces, their souls quickly eaten by Ragnarok.

"Kid, Liz, Patty! They were her friends too! Why didn't they protect her? It's _their_ fault she's dead!"

"Stop it!"

Kid's, Liz's, and Patty's bodies were all flying in chunks, their souls being consumed by his black sword.

"Stein, Marie! They said that they cared about you! They knew how much you cared about her! Why didn't they try to protect her? It's _their_ fault she's dead!"

"_No_!"

Stein and Marie were screaming as Crona hacked into them, his face showing the pure unstoppable fury that was consuming him.

"_But it still isn't enough_! Because there are still countless people in the entire world!"

More bodies being cut. More blood flying through the air.

"Shut up…"

"She died to protect all of them! She died to save them!"

More parts falling about. More bodies falling.

"Shut up."

"If they didn't need to be saved, she would still be alive!"

Souls were swarming him, being consumed by the growing Ragnarok.

"Shut up!"

"It's because of all of them that she's dead!"

"_SHUT UP_!"

Crona suddenly lunged forward, his hands wrapping around Ragnarok's throat and slamming him into a nearby tree. He could only barely register the fact that he was squeezing his hands tighter, just trying to get Ragnarok to stop.

Trying to make the images go away.

He could feel Ragnarok's hands clasp onto his wrists and slowly but forcefully pry his hands away, giving a loud gasp once his hands were away. Ragnarok glared back at him, still gasping for air.

"Don't you act like…I'm wrong here…" he breathed out. "You know I'm right."

"You. Are. _Not_." Crona growled. "I would never do that to any of them!"

"You're really trying to tell me you wouldn't blame _any_ of them?"

"I wouldn't!"

"And why's that?"

"Because it would be _my_ fault!"

Crona's breathing started to become ragged as well, trying to focus everything on not breaking down into tears.

"And do you really expect me to think that you would think rationally in that situation?" Ragnarok hissed back. "That you would be calm enough to realize that?"

"How do you know I wouldn't?"

"Because I _know_ you!" Ragnarok growled, throwing Crona's hands down and jabbing a finger in his chest. "I've been stuck with you your entire life! I know you better than anyone else! Better than Maka, better than Medusa! I even know you better than you know yourself! You can't afford to lose her, because you _need_ someone to push you in any direction, right or wrong! And you know, deep down in your heart, that everything I've said up until now is true! You _know_ that I'm right!"

It all came falling apart. The sheer weight of Ragnarok's words finally broke through to Crona, everything registering in his mind.

Ragnarok _was_ right. There was no way he could take Maka dying for his sake. There was no telling what he would do then.

He was a danger. To himself and to everyone else.

He slowly fell to his knees, eyes still locked on Ragnarok's.

"…you were waiting. You were waiting until we could escape."

"…yeah." Ragnarok whispered. "I was."

"That's why you stopped appearing…"

"Yeah…you'd already gotten attached to these people. I couldn't afford to do the same."

It was all too much. Crona truly understood what it was that he had to do. He had to give up everything. He had to walk away from what mattered to him the most.

Because if he stayed, he would just get hurt in the end.

Before he could stop himself, the tears started to flow, and he covered his face with his hands.

The only sound that could be heard was Crona's sorrowful weeping, muffled by his hands on his face. It was the worst feeling he could imagine having. He had finally gained the happiness that he had longed for for so long, and now he had to willingly give it up. It was the only way he could protect all of them.

He then felt a hand gently touch the top of his head. He knew it was Ragnarok's, but he didn't bother to look up.

"Look…" Ragnarok started, and Crona was surprised to find his voice taking on a gentle tone. "She's done a lot for you. She's helped you. I get that, I really do. But this is the only way to do this. If she went and died on you…it'd be the worst pain you've ever felt. Nothing could ever compare to it."

Ragnarok didn't need to tell him that. He could already tell that that was true.

"It's that kind of pain that only comes when someone close to you is gone forever. No one wants to go through that." Ragnarok whispered. "But if we cut them off from us…then we won't have to worry about that. We'll only have to worry about each other. It isn't much…but it's the better alternative."

He almost wondered if Ragnarok even could die. Would he just fade away when Crona passed on? Or would he be stuck moving around a lifeless, decaying body?

It'd be almost funny if Crona wasn't feeling so distraught.

"…come on, Crona." Ragnarok said. "Let's go."

Crona slowly moved his hands away from his face, not looking up at Ragnarok. He started to think about all of the things he wanted to say to Maka before he left. He started to regret the fact that he couldn't say any of them.

Suddenly, Ragnarok whipped his head to the side, peering into the darkness.

"…_shit_." he cursed, before suddenly diving back into Crona's body.

Crona blinked in surprise, wondering what caused him to suddenly vanish. Then, he heard footsteps quickly coming towards him.

He got to his feet and frantically wiped at his eyes, getting rid of any tears still lingering. He blinked as Soul suddenly appeared in front of him, panting as though he had run the whole way.

"Crona!" he cried out.

"S-Soul…I-I was just-"

"It's Maka!" he suddenly interrupted. "She's gone!"

Crona stared at Soul, hoping beyond all else he didn't mean what he thought he meant.

"G…gone?"

"I don't know what happened! I just woke up and she wasn't in her sleeping bag!"

_She's still alive!_ Crona thought, relief washing over him.

Soul turned around and started heading back. "Come on, help me look for her!"

Crona started to silently follow Soul, immediately wanting to see her.

_**No, you fucking idiot, STOP!**_

Crona stopped, a familiar voice ringing in his head.

…_Ragnarok?_

_**Don't you get it? This is your chance! Just turn and start running now, before it's too late!**_

Ragnarok was right, again. If there was ever a chance for him to get away, it was now. Maka was missing and Soul was busy looking for her. He'd never get another opportunity like this.

He stepped back slightly, pausing in his movement…

…and then started running after Soul.

_**What are you doing? Why are you going after them? Run AWAY from them, you dolt! AWAY!**_

There'd be time to think about what to do later.

Maka came first.

/

"Maka! Can you hear me?"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Maka! Maka, please answer!"

"Come on, Maka! This isn't funny!"

The search had so far proven to be less than successful. Despite the fact that both Crona and Soul had been moving high and low throughout the forest, there had been no sign of Maka. It was as though she had just vanished into thin air, which Crona knew was impossible, but that didn't help his growing fears.

What was even less of a help was that Ragnarok was still screaming in his head to just turn and run away.

_I have to find out if she's OK first!_ Crona thought.

_**Who gives a flying shit if she's OK or not?**_

_I do!_

_**And what good would it do, anyway? You go back to her now, you're never going to run away!**_

Crona wasn't entirely sure if Ragnarok was right. Nor did he want to consider the possibility that he might be.

To actually admit that he was that weak-willed…he didn't want to consider that. That he would attach himself to Maka just because he needed to attach to someone, regardless of who it was. Ragnarok had said that it was deeper than that…but was he just lying to himself? Was he just trying to convince himself there was more to it?

Suddenly, he saw something off to the side. He turned to get a better look at it.

His eyes widened when he saw those familiar blonde pigtails moving away from him.

"Soul! I found her! She's over here!" he called out, before running towards Maka.

He could hear Soul running up behind him, and soon enough, they managed to catch up with Maka, who had stopped moving once they had got close enough.

"Maka…there you are…" Crona breathed out.

Soul gave a few pants of breath, before walking up beside her.

"Geez, what's the matter with you, Maka? You scared the hell out of us by disappearing like that!"

Crona walked up on her other side, then blinked when he noticed something wrong.

Maka's eyes were staring straight ahead, and they had a strange, glazed-over look to them. She didn't move to look at either him or Soul, and seemed to only be barely aware that they were even there.

"…Maka?" Crona questioned.

Soul reached up and waved a hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention.

"Hello? You in there, Maka?"

Maka didn't make any movements, and Soul soon lowered his hand. He looked over at Crona, who looked just as confused as he was.

"…can't you hear it?" Maka whispered.

Crona and Soul looked up at Maka, wondering what she was talking about.

"That sound…don't you hear it…?"

Crona was quickly becoming even more worried. Never mind the fact that Maka was talking about some sound that he couldn't hear, but she was speaking in some strange, dazed monotone.

"…what sound?" Soul asked. "I'm not hearing anything."

Crona shook his head, confirming the same thing for him.

Soul gently grabbed ahold of Maka's arm. "Come on, let's go back to the campsite."

He then started to walk back, but Maka quickly yanked her arm away from him. Soul looked back at her in surprise.

"Maka, what are you-"

"That sound…I want to find that sound…I have to find it…"

Then, before either Crona or Soul could say anything, Maka dashed off straight ahead.

Crona quickly ran after her, Soul right behind him. As they ran further and further into the forest, Crona's mind swam with questions as to just what was going on.

Suddenly, he saw Maka run into a nearby cave, and the two dashed in after her.

The cave seemed to go on for miles, and it wasn't long before Crona and Soul had gotten lost. The two were soon engulfed in total darkness, and Crona had to fight the urge to start screaming his head off. The last thing he needed to do was have a panic attack right then and there.

He quickly found a source of light in the distance and ran towards it, hoping Soul wasn't too far behind him. He ran up the source and soon realized it was another opening. Hoping he hadn't accidentally turned around and started heading back the way he came, he stepped through.

His eyes widened as he saw what was on the other side.

A large pool of water took up most of the space of this section of the cave, with a small stone shore surrounding it. The ceiling of the section was gone, allowing the moon and stars to shine down and illuminate the area.

Close to where Crona was standing was a ship, half-sunk into the water and decrepit, looking as though it had been there for ages.

What caught Crona's eye was that Maka was standing right in the middle of the ship, looking off into the distance.

He heard Soul come up behind him, and he quickly ran towards the ship, climbing on as fast as he could.

Once he was on board, he could see something start to float down from the sky, moving closer to Maka.

His breath caught in his chest when he saw what it was.

The creature was wreathed in black, its long cape floating behind it. Its clothing was of a more regal style, and he carried an air of royalty about him as he gazed down at Maka.

But it was his face that got to Crona. The pale skin that looked almost dead. The long, white hair. The deep crimson eyes. The sharp fangs evident in his smile.

The creature landed on the ship, staring at Maka.

"I have called for you, child. And you have come."

"Yes…" Maka whispered, her voice sounding even more dazed than before.

"Do you fear me?"

"No…"

The creature moved forward until he was standing right in front of her. He placed a hand under her chin, tilting her head up.

"Such delicate beauty…" he said. "Like a stained glass window. A creature such as you should not fall victim to the curse of time."

His face lowered towards hers, still gazing into her eyes.

"You need not fear. For through me, you shall live."

His face moved past hers, moving towards her neck.

"You shall live…forever…"

His mouth opened, his fangs inching closer…

"_PIGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!_"

The creature suddenly recoiled back, Ragnarok's scream echoing throughout the cave. It stumbled away from Maka, holding its hands over its ears.

Maka suddenly blinked, acting as though she had just awoken from a dream. She stumbled back and fell to the deck just as Ragnarok's scream died away.

"_Maka_!" Soul cried out as he ran towards her. He helped her get up to a sitting position, and she held her head in mild pain.

"Soul…? What happened?"

"I don't know! You just got up and left, saying something about a "sound"…"

"What sound? I don't even remember-"

She then looked ahead at the creature who had come down, who was still reeling from the scream.

"…oh _shit_." Maka cursed.

"Yeah…that's who I think it is, isn't it?" Soul whispered.

"It is…Prince of Darkness…Count Dracula."

Dracula looked up at Maka, glaring directly at her.

"We are in _way_ over our heads here." Soul mentioned.

"What?" Maka responded, looking back at Soul. "I'm a two-star meister and you're a Death Scythe! How are we in over our heads?"

"You don't exactly look like you're in any condition to fight."

"I'm fine!"

Maka started to get to her feet, but stumbled and fell back down, Soul quickly catching her.

"You were saying?" Soul remarked.

"My ears are just ringing a little, that's all!"

"Look, this isn't the time for you to get thick-headed! I'll get us out of here and then we call for reinforcements. It's the only chance we've got!"

Maka looked back at Dracula, realizing that there wasn't much choice. He was an ancient and very powerful pre-Kishin, with the number of souls that he had collected being completely unknown. And as much as she hated to admit it, Soul had a point. Her equilibrium was completely ruined. They had to retreat.

"…alright. Let's-"

Maka stopped when she noticed something amiss. Dracula was no longer looking at her, but instead off to her side.

She turned to look in the same direction, Soul quickly doing the same. They both saw Crona walk past them, Ragnarok already in his sword form.

Maka only just managed to get a look at Crona's face.

She would never admit to it aloud, but Crona used to scare her. Just the fact that he could switch from the timid, quiet boy that she was familiar with to a raving lunatic at a moment's notice was enough to terrify her. Granted, that was back when they were still enemies, and she still felt a degree of guilt for when Soul got hurt. Since then, she knew that that wasn't who Crona truly was.

But seeing the expression on Crona's face was enough to scare her all over again. Only for entirely different reasons.

That one look of pure, indescribable rage.

"…what is this?" Dracula wondered, straightening up as Crona walked closer. "Do you wish to cross swords with me, boy?"

Crona simply glared at Dracula, his teeth grit. Ragnarok remained at his side, the mouth already visible.

"…very well." Dracula answered, before reaching into his cloak. He pulled out a thin, rapier-like sword and held it vertically in front of him.

"Anything you wish to say before you die?" he asked.

Crona slowly raised Ragnarok, mimicking Dracula's movements and holding him out vertically in front of him. The two stared the other down for a few brief moments, before Crona roared his answer.

"_SCREAM RESONANCE_!"

Ragnarok's unique scream echoed through the air once again, this time mixing with Crona's furious cry. The ship around them shook with the sheer force of the sound, and Dracula once again staggered in his spot. Maka and Soul also felt the force of the screams, wincing as it hit them.

Soon, the waves condensed around Ragnarok's blade, causing it to vibrate violently in Crona's hand.

"Crona, don't!" Maka cried out.

But it was far too late. Crona gave another roar and dashed forward, swinging Ragnarok with all of his might.

His swing was quickly blocked by Dracula's sword, but he quickly pulled back and swung again, only to be blocked again. He did this over and over, each furious swing carefully stopped by Dracula.

Dracula then started to return the movements, giving quick slashes and stabs at every opportunity. Crona fiercely blocked each movement though, not letting a single attack get through to him.

They continued to go back and forth, Crona's wild rage clashing with Dracula's calm grace, yet neither of them managed to get a hit on the other.

Finally, the two swung at the same time, their swords meeting with a resounding _CLANG_. They pressed the swords against the other, trying desperately to gain an inch against their opponent.

Dracula then noticed the vibrations coming off of Ragnarok, causing him to dig into Dracula's sword. Sparks flew off of his blade, causing him to falter back slightly.

This was all the opening Crona needed. With a final push, he shoved Dracula's sword down, causing Dracula to give a slight hiss as his arm was twisted. Crona then gave another roar, before lifting his foot and kicking Dracula square in the chest.

Dracula stumbled back, his grip still firm on his sword. He looked up just in time to see the black energy crackling around Ragnarok. The dark blade formed around him, while Crona glared a hole through Dracula.

"_SCREECH GAMMA_!"

Dracula only barely managed to get his sword up in time to block, his sword holding out against the barrage of slashes. The energy moved in one constant fluid motion, with each slash being preceded by a furious cry from Crona, one after the other.

With the last swing, Dracula's sword was knocked out of his hands, flying off of the ship and falling into the water below. He looked back in time to see Crona suddenly duck down.

Crona charged forward, his shoulder meeting Dracula's chest as he tackled him to the ground. Dracula gave a loud "OOF" as he hit the deck, Crona quickly climbing on top of him.

He raised Ragnarok above his head, aiming the point of the blade down, and gave one more scream, swinging down.

_SHUNK_!

Dracula let out a howl of pain as Ragnarok pierced through his left shoulder. He glared up at Crona, who was still radiating with anger.

"…if you were aiming for my heart, boy…" Dracula growled. "Then you clearly missed-"

_SHLLLLIK_!

Dracula was cut off by Crona forcing Ragnarok's blade deeper into his shoulder, causing him to howl again. The blade went through the wood of the deck, essentially pinning Dracula to the floor.

Crona let go of Ragnarok's hilt, then closed his hand into a fist. He reared back, the black blood hardening under his skin.

Dracula looked back up just in time for Crona to swing.

_WHAM_!

His fist connected with Dracula's face, causing him to give a "whoof" as his head swung to the side.

Another fist suddenly came down.

_WHAM_!

Dracula's head swung to the other side, just in time for the first fist to hit him again.

_WHAM_!_ WHAM_!_ WHAM_!_ WHAM_!

Again and again, Crona's fist pounded into Dracula's face, his movements slowly picking up in speed.

Maka and Soul watched Crona in sheer disbelief. Never mind the fact that he had gained the advantage against a pre-Kishin such as Dracula, but he was actually starting to beat him.

"…am I seeing this?" Soul wondered.

Maka shook her head. "Soul, you have to go stop him…"

"What? Are you crazy?"

"He's going to get himself killed…"

"…are you watching the same fight as me? He's got Dracula pinned to the ground and his beating his face in with his _bare hands_! I think he'll be fine!"

But Maka knew that something wasn't right. Crona had started to scream again with each blow, but what exactly, Maka couldn't tell. They sounded like words, but they were far too incoherent for Maka to make out.

Crona wasn't normally this reckless, and Maka knew that it was going to go against him in the worst way.

Meanwhile, Crona's swinging had reached a fever pitch, his constant screaming with each punch echoing through the cave. Dracula's blood was flying through the air, some of it spilling onto Crona's face, but he couldn't care less.

He gave another swing, only for Dracula to block the fist with his hand.

"You…are beginning to annoy me…brat…" Dracula grunted out, his face covered in his own blood.

Crona pulled his fist away, before suddenly grabbing the collar of Dracula's cape. He pulled Dracula up, before thrusting his head down.

_WHACK_!

His forehead connected with Dracula's face, causing him to reel back and roar in pain again.

Crona looked around the ship, trying to find something else to use against him. He looked behind him and saw the mast of the ship towering above him.

An absolutely insane idea developed in Crona's mind.

He quickly reached over and grabbed Ragnarok, pulling him out of Dracula's shoulder. Dracula howled again as Crona got off of him, letting Dracula roll over and clutch his shoulder in pain. He turned and ran behind him, swinging Ragnarok as he passed by the mast.

With one quick slash, he cut through the wood of the mast, causing the structure to start to fall. Before it could get too far, he dashed behind it and started pushing it forward, towards Dracula.

Soon enough, the mast fell towards the end of the ship. Dracula looked up just as the wooden structure fell onto him.

_CRASH_!

The mast collided with the deck, crushing Dracula underneath it. The wood under the mast splintered and flew about, the deck starting to crumble underneath the mast.

Maka and Soul stared in awe of the damage Crona had caused. Maka looked over at Crona, who was staring at the broken mast, panting heavily.

She flinched slightly when he suddenly raised his head back and let out another scream of rage. His cry rang throughout the cave, and Maka couldn't help but worry about the cause of this.

It seemed unnatural for him. To suddenly cut loose and go on a rampage like this…why was this happening?

Crona's scream soon died out, and he lowered his head, glaring at the mast while still gasping for breath.

The area grew very quiet, no one moving from their spots. Crona's breathing slowly returned to a normal rate, but he stayed where he was.

"…Crona?" Soul questioned. "Come on, man, let's-"

_CRACK_!

The mast suddenly split open, and Dracula burst out from underneath it, flying into the air. Crona's, Maka's, and Soul's heads whipped up as he floated in the air, still clutching his shoulder, glaring down at them.

"…congratulations…child…" Dracula growled, wincing in pain. "You have succeeded…in earning my wrath…but you will not have my life…not tonight…"

He let out a gasp of pain, before letting go of his shoulder and pointing down at Crona.

"I promise you this…one day, I will return…and I will not rest…until I have taken my vengeance upon you…your heirs…and everyone who cares for you…"

With that threat hanging in the air, Dracula started to float away, heading for the opening in the cave ceiling.

Maka watched him fly, upset that despite all of Crona's efforts, he somehow managed to survive. But it was still a victory, and they could always fight him again. Next time, she'd be ready.

She was then horrified when Crona suddenly leaped onto the mast and held up Ragnarok.

"Ragnarok! Wings! _Now_!"

"…_what_ did he just say?" Soul shouted.

_No…he wouldn't…not for this…_ Maka thought.

"…have you completely lost your fucking mind?" Ragnarok yelled. "We haven't been able to do that since we came back!"

"You ate twenty-five souls, that should be enough!"

"You don't know that!"

"Neither do you!"

"I know the black blood isn't strong enough for this! It would take up way to much of your energy to even make them, much less maintain them!"

"I am _not_ letting him get away!"

"You're going to kill us both!"

"_Just give me the fucking wings NOW_!"

To say Maka was shocked would be a vast understatement. Never mind the fact that Crona actually swore, which was an extremely rare occurrence, but he was demanding that Ragnarok put him at greater risk, just to get this one opponent.

_Why is this so important to him?_ Maka frantically wondered.

"…OK, fine! Have it your way!" Ragnarok shouted.

"No…Soul, please, you have to stop him…" Maka murmured, trying to get to her feet.

"And how exactly do I do that?" Soul wondered, helping Maka up.

But it was too late. Maka could already see the black blood starting to drip out of Crona's back.

_No no NO!_ Maka thought.

"Here goes…" Ragnarok started. "Three…two…one…"

_SPLORTCH_!

Crona let out the most pained scream that Maka had heard him give, as two black wings burst out of his back. The scream was joined by Ragnarok's own, resounding at such a volume that Dracula actually turned back to look at the source.

"…just what in God's name are you?" Dracula shouted.

Crona panted loudly, the pain shooting from his back becoming almost too much. His vision was already starting to blur, and he could feel the world start to spin.

"See…?" Ragnarok growled. "Didn't I fucking tell you…?"

Crona didn't answer. He slowly raised his head, then began to test the wings. One gave a slow flap, followed by the other. Soon, they were both flapping, and Crona was already starting to leave the ground.

"Crona, no!" Maka shouted, starting to run after him.

"…you're not going _anywhere_!" Crona growled, taking off and dashing after Dracula.

Maka stumbled and fell just as Crona flew off, Soul quickly running up to her. She watched him go up and up and up, soon catching up to Dracula.

Crona swung Ragnarok just as he flew up to him, Dracula just barely managing to get out of the way. Crona continued to swing wildly at him, each slash being dodged by Dracula.

"What will it take for you to stop?" Dracula growled, grabbing Crona's arm to stop the next swing. "Why do you fight like this?"

"I want you _dead_!" Crona growled back.

Crona then reared back and punched Dracula again, causing him to reel back. He then raised Ragnarok high and brought the hilt down.

_CRACK_!

It connected with the top of Dracula's skull, sending him falling down to the water below.

Trying to remain conscious, Crona dove after him, soon tackling him and dashing further down.

He took a deep breath as the water zoomed up to meet him.

_SPLASH_!

Maka ran up to the edge of the ship as Crona and Dracula hit the water. She started to climb up, but was pulled back by Soul.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I'm going after him! I have to help him!"

"Did you learn how to fight underwater and forget to tell me?"

"I'm not going to let him get killed, Soul!"

"He's fine! He's got it under control!"

"No he doesn't! You heard Ragnarok, it took up most of his energy just to make those things!"

"And if you jump down there, you'll just get in his way! You're falling all over the place, Maka!"

Maka shook her head, rubbing her temple. "I'm just a bit dizzy from the hypnotic backlash."

"Dizzy from the what now?"

Maka sighed. "Dracula has a hypnotic wavelength. He uses it to lure his victims before he kills them."

"But Crona and I never felt a wavelength. And you kept going on about some "sound" that we couldn't hear."

Maka flushed, looking away. "…it only works on girls."

Soul stared at Maka for a moment, before looking over the edge, down at the water.

"…I really hope Crona hurries up and kills that freak."

"Soul, this is serious!" Maka shouted, turning back to look at him.

"Look, he's going to finish him off and then he'll have another soul and everything will be fine!"

"He forced Ragnarok to grow wings, Soul! He's not going to be fine after that!"

"How do you even know? You don't know how his body works!"

"Maybe not, but-"

Maka stopped when she suddenly saw a series of bubbles start to rapidly rise around one area where Dracula and Crona fell. What she saw immediately after horrified her.

The water where the two had fallen had started to turn jet black.

"_CRONA_!"

"Maka, wait!"

"I'm not waiting anymore, Soul! Either help me or _stay out of my fucking way_!"

"Dammit Maka!"

The two of them prepared to jump over the edge, when another sound stopped them.

_SPLOOSH_!

Dracula suddenly rocketed out of the water, a wave of black energy that was clearly Crona's Screech Alpha attack pushing him up into the air. He flew away from where Soul and Maka were standing until he met the wall of the cave.

_WHAM_!

He hit the wall, the wave dissipating as he did so. He soon fell off of the wall, quickly tumbling down to the cave floor below before landing with a loud _THUD_.

Dracula gave a cough as he slowly got to his knees, wiping at his mouth while doing so. He looked at his hand as he pulled it away, eyes widening as he saw the black substance on it.

"…just what is this…?" he wondered aloud.

There was another _splash_, followed by a loud gasp for air. Dracula looked up to see Crona come out of the water, collapsing onto the shore in front of him, panting and gasping for breath.

Maka let out a gasp as she saw Crona surface, and started running to the back of the ship.

"Crona, hang on! I'm coming!"

"_NO_!"

Maka froze, Crona's answer ringing in her ears. She turned to look back at him, and saw him slowly getting out of the water, Ragnarok still in his hand.

"He's _mine_!" Crona growled.

Maka stared at him, still utterly lost as to just what was making him doing this.

_Why is he acting like this? This isn't like him at all!_

Crona glared at Dracula, wiping at the fresh wound on his neck. He slowly raised his hand palm-up in front of him, looking at the small pool of black in it.

"Bloody Needle…"

Four small pins rose out of the black, floating in the air for a few seconds before zooming towards Dracula.

One pierced his wrist and pushed him back, pinning him against the wall. Dracula tried to pull it back out before a second went through his other wrist. The last two went through his ankles, piercing through the rock behind him, preventing any sort of escape.

Crona slowly staggered towards Dracula. His dizziness was even worse now, and he could only barely see the form in front of him. He forced himself to stay away, knowing that he had to finish this.

He walked right up to Dracula and raised Ragnarok, pressing him against Dracula's throat.

The two of them glared at each other, both of them panting heavily from the battle they had just been through. Crona's eyes fluttered slightly, but he focused on staying awake.

"…I see…" Dracula gasped out. "So…that's your secret…"

Crona noticed that he was eyeing the wound on his neck, the black blood still dripping from it. He then saw Dracula look up past him, back at the ship.

"…such…delicate…beauty…"

Crona tensed, pressing Ragnarok closer to his neck.

A grin spread across Dracula's face as he looked back at Crona.

"Look at you…all I have to do is speak of her…and you're ready to turn into a wild animal…you couldn't be more obvious if you tried…"

Crona's teeth grit as he glared up at Dracula. The grin on Dracula's face grew, any signs of composure now long gone.

"Do you really think you are worthy of such a prize…?"

Crona flinched at him referring to Maka as a "prize".

"After all, just look at you…" Dracula continued. "Unnatural blood…misshapen form…wild, uncontrollable actions…"

He sneered. "You're just like me…a monster, just pretending to be a man…"

Crona didn't respond, the only sound coming from him being his ragged breathing.

"What makes you think she could ever want you…? Ordinary people…they never want monsters…" Dracula continued. "That's why we take what we want…so why not just _take_ her…? If it's your happiness that you want…it only makes sense…"

Crona continued to glare at Dracula, his words only now reaching his mind. After a few seconds, he lowered his head.

He slowly pulled Ragnarok away from Dracula's throat, causing Dracula to smile in victory.

The area around them stayed quiet for a short while, Crona's breathing continuing in ragged gasps.

"…maybe…you're right…" Crona whispered.

Dracula grinned, confident that he'd won.

"Maybe…I am a monster…"

Crona then raised his head, his glare reaching Dracula's eyes once again.

"But I am not like you."

Dracula's grin vanished, to be replaced with furious indignation.

Crona raised Ragnarok again, rearing back for an attack.

"Because…even if I'm a monster…starting now…you're just a number."

With that, Crona swung.

_SHLIK_!

The grimace on Dracula's face remained frozen. Even as his head fell to his chest. Then past it, past the abdomen, past his feet, and down to the floor below, hitting it with a _thunk_.

"You're my twenty-sixth soul…" Crona continued, lowering Ragnarok. "Nothing more…"

Dracula's body soon dissolved into nothing, the last part fading away being his head. The four Needles Crona made soon returned to his body, and Ragnarok quickly did the same, popping out of his back and grabbing the red soul.

He stuffed it into his mouth, chewing noisily and greedily, before finally swallowing. He gave a loud belch, followed by a sigh of satisfaction.

"Damn…I swear, these actually taste better when you have to friggin' work for them…"

Crona slowly turned around as he heard footsteps echoing through the cave. He knew that Maka was on her way, circling around to get to him.

"…Ragnarok…"

"What?"

"…the wounds…heal them, please…"

"…you're seriously thinking about her _now_?"

"W-We'll talk about it later…just…I don't want her to see them…"

Ragnarok sighed, quickly diving back into Crona's body.

Crona could feel the open wound on his neck slowly close, along with the spots on his back where his wings once were. Soon, they were all gone.

Crona started to slowly walk towards where Maka was coming from. His vision was now blurrier than ever, and he was only barely moving forward.

He could make out a shape running towards him…it looked like Maka, which made him smile.

_She's…OK…_

He then realized that he was falling. Falling forward. Falling into someone's arms.

And yet, he was still falling.

/

The first thought that popped into Crona's head was his wondering why he felt like he was floating.

It was a strange sensation. He felt completely weightless, yet he wasn't moving at all. He just stayed in one spot, floating aimlessly.

He gently clenched and unclenched his hand, and felt a strange resistance to the movement. Strange, yet familiar.

…_water?_ he thought.

He slowly opened his eyes, noticing a bright light shining down on him. He saw that light, but it was obscured slightly by the vast blue surrounding him, stretching on forever.

…_what am I doing underwater…?_ he wondered. _Didn't I make it back onto land…?_

He let out a breath, the bubbles floating away from him. He didn't feel the expected sudden rush of water enter his lungs.

…_how am I still breathing?_

"Hey. It's later."

Crona blinked, recognizing the voice. He slowly turned his body around, searching for the source.

Deep down into the water, he could see a giant form beneath him. The long, serpentine body seemed to extend on forever, the creature's four legs floating weightlessly beneath it. Its huge wings remained folded on its back as it raised its long neck, his pointed face staring right at Crona.

Crona saw that he was staring right into the eyes of a black dragon. But, even if he didn't see the white X across its face, he would've known what this dragon was.

"…Ragnarok?"

"Who else?"

Crona looked around him, observing the water around them.

"Where are we…?"

"Your mind? Your soul? Your dream? Who knows? We've got more important shit to discuss than that."

Crona looked back at Ragnarok. He didn't want to revisit this subject so soon, but he didn't appear to have much choice in the matter.

"Look…" Ragnarok began. "I know you don't want to talk about this…but do you have any idea how dangerously close you came to proving me right?"

"…I know…"

"Crona, you completely lost your shit! And Maka didn't even die! She wasn't even hurt! If this is how you react when someone _almost_ hurt her, just imagine how bad it'll be when she does get hurt!"

"It's not that simple, Ragnarok…" Crona muttered. "I was just-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Ragnarok interrupted. "I know what happened. Doesn't change the fact that you were completely out of control."

Crona looked away, realizing that there was no point arguing that.

"They've already taken us back to the Academy." Ragnarok explained. "I didn't want to do this, but I don't see us getting another chance any time soon. Once you've recovered, we'll pack our things and make a run for it before-"

"Ragnarok, stop."

Crona looked back at Ragnarok, his mind finally made up.

"I'm not going."

Ragnarok stared at Crona, before giving an annoyed sigh.

"Crona, why are you-"

"Ragnarok, please." Crona interrupted. "You already said your piece…let me say mine."

Ragnarok stared at Crona more. Crona almost wished he could give some sort of expression in this form, so he had an idea of what he was thinking. When Ragnarok didn't protest, Crona decided to continue.

"…you're right. I did lose it today…and I could easily lose it again…that's something I need to work on…"

"No shit, Sherlock."

"But you're wrong about running being the right choice. If we ran…I wouldn't be happy. All I would be doing would be thinking about all the things I could've been doing with her instead…that would just make me miserable."

Crona gave a small sigh, not wanting to continue onto the next subject.

"And I know…she won't live forever. One day, she'll die…just like I will…just like everyone will…and when she goes, it'll hurt worse than anything I've ever felt…but…I want to stay with her anyway."

A small smile came over Crona's face. "I want to spend all of the years with her…until that day comes…"

"…so, that's it?" Ragnarok asked. "You're gonna stay with her until she's a wrinked old grandma, until she dies in her bed, you kneeling beside her?"

"Maybe…" Crona answered. "Or maybe I'll get lucky…"

"Huh?"

The smile on Crona's face widened. "Maybe I'll die a day before her…so I never have to live without her."

Crona had never seen a dragon look exasperated, but he could swear that was the look Ragnarok was giving him right then.

"…really, Crona?"

Crona's grin turned sheepish. "I think it fits…"

"…yeah, I guess it does…" Ragnarok replied. "Why can't you ever be so damn _devoted_ to anything but her?"

Crona gave a small shrug, as best as he could in the water.

Ragnarok let out a sigh. "So, this is it, huh? We're gonna be stuck in this city for the rest of our lives?"

"Unless Maka moves." Crona answered. "If she goes, we go."

"…you realize that you could be wasting your time, right? I mean…you don't know if she feels the same way."

"…yeah, I know…I'll worry about that later…"

"Yeah, one thing at a time…" Ragnarok replied. He then looked behind Crona. "You should probably wake up now. Don't want her to worry too much."

"Right…"

Crona turned around again, facing the light. He started to swim away, but stopped.

"…Ragnarok?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah? What?"

"Could you…start coming out again?"

"…yeah, yeah, fine. I know, people are starting to worry…"

"Yeah…and…I was starting to miss you…"

He couldn't really tell if this surprised Ragnarok or not. He heard him give a loud snort.

"Fine, fine, whatever…stupid sappy brat…"

Crona gave a small smile, before looking ahead and swimming.

The area around him grew bright as he swam closer to the light. It became almost blinding the closer he got to it.

Brighter.

Brighter.

/

Crona's eyes were closed again, but he could still hear voices around him.

"…be OK…"

"Lost…need rest…"

There was a strange buzzing in his ears that made it harder for him to hear. He wasn't sure what the voices were saying, but they sounded familiar.

"…happened…him…"

"…screamed…kept beating on…wings…"

They were talking about him. He wasn't sure he liked that. He decided he should ask them to stop.

He tried to move his mouth, but it felt heavy. All he could get out was an "mmm".

He heard footsteps suddenly come closer to him. He felt someone's breath on his face.

"Crona…?"

He definitely recognized that voice.

_Maka._

He slowly and carefully opened his eyes, the sudden brightness making it hard for him to see.

There was a shape hovering in front of him. It was hard to see what it was.

Slowly, his vision began to come back into focus, the shape becoming very clear.

He couldn't help but smile when he saw Maka's face.

"Maka…" he whispered.

A wide smile spread over her face. "He's awake!"

"Yeah, I think we figured that out, Maka."

Crona blinked slightly as Soul walked up behind Maka, showing a wide, toothy grin.

"Mornin', superhero. Sleep well?"

"…superhero…?" Crona wondered.

"What? Don't like the new nickname? And I worked so hard on it…"

Maka rolled her eyes, turning to look back at Soul. "Oh please, you came up with it out of nowhere and just kept repeating it like it already fit."

"It does fit, though."

Crona smiled wider as Maka gave an annoyed sigh.

_To think…I almost gave this up…_

He heard more footsteps and looked to his other side as a third form appeared within his line of sight.

"…Professor Stein…?"

Stein stared at Crona, his expression neutral as always. "Well, from what Maka and Soul have told me, you've been through quite an ordeal, Crona…"

Crona blushed slightly. "Y-Yeah…I guess so…"

"You've lost quite a bit of blood in the battle…but, if the black blood works at all like normal blood, then you can just rest here for the day and you'll be fine soon."

Crona slowly looked around, recognizing the tiled ceiling and feeling the bed underneath him.

_Nurse's office back at the academy…_ he thought.

"So, now that that's all out of the way…" Stein said, before looking across from him. "Soul, would you accompany me to give Lord Death the official report?"

Soul gave a quick salute. "Yessir."

Crona noticed Soul then look back at him and give a quick wink, before following Stein out of the room. He couldn't help but blush at the implications.

He then looked back at Maka, realizing that the two of them were alone. He blinked when he noticed that Maka's eyes were a bit red.

"…Maka? Are you OK…?"

Maka stared at Crona for a second, before gently reaching forward and hugging him around his shoulders.

"Of course I'm OK, you…I'm just glad you're alright…"

Crona wondered if she was being completely truthful, but decided not to worry about it.

"Just…just don't do something that crazy ever again…OK…?" Maka whispered.

Whether it was out of tiredness, wanting to comfort Maka, or both, Crona automatically responded with "OK…"

He then slowly moved his arms out from under the blanket and wrapped them around Maka's back, pulling her close and giving a happy sigh.

There were a lot of things Crona was unsure of right then. But there was one thing he knew for a fact.

He wasn't going anywhere.

/

Well! That's finally done. I had some fun writing this, but I'm still glad it's over.

But! The story isn't finished just yet! Stay tuned for the next part, coming very soon!

Ta-ta for now!


	25. Rage

OK, I know it might be a bit too soon after the last chapter, but I want to get the full story out as soon as possible, so let's not waste any more time!

This won't be quite as action-packed as the last one, but it should still be enjoyable.

Onward!

/

"OK…let's recap." Maka started, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

She started to pace in front of her couch, which only made Soul even more nervous. He knew that he was going to be in some serious trouble, but he hadn't expected things to go as badly as they did. He stole a glance beside him, and wasn't surprise to see that both Black*Star and Kid looked as nervous as he did.

If there was one thing all three of them knew by heart, it was that you did not want to earn Maka's wrath.

"You three decide to have a "guy's night out", or whatever…" Maka said, continuing to pace in front of the couch. "Obviously, I don't have a problem with that. You guys want to go hang out, that's your business. But, Tsubaki was busy training, and Liz and Patty were having their own private movie night or something. So, I've got the house to myself, but I don't want to spend the night alone."

She turned and started pacing in the other direction. "So, I call up Crona, and ask him to come over. I wasn't planning anything special. Just him and me, hanging out, maybe playing some cards. Just enjoying a quiet night."

Black*Star smirked. "Heh, I didn't know "playing cards" was a euphemism for-"

_WHAP_!

"OW! Soul, what'd you hit me for?" Black*Star shouted, rubbing the top of his head.

"Would you have preferred the alternative?" Soul replied, tilting his head towards Maka.

Black*Star looked up to see Maka suddenly holding what was easily the biggest dictionary he had ever seen in his entire life. He cowered slightly when he saw the dangerous glint in Maka's eye.

"Oh no, Soul. By all means. _Let him finish_."

Black*Star gulped, quickly looking away from Maka. "W-Wasn't sayin' nothin'…"

Maka chose to ignore the double negative, and continued.

"So, I was all set for a quiet night with a friend…except I got a call from _you_, Soul…" she said, pointing at Soul. "That Crona was joining you for your little get-together. And when you said "joined", I knew you meant "we're taking him against his will"."

"I-It wasn't _entirely_ against his will…" Kid commented.

Maka shot a glare in his direction, and he quickly fell silent.

"Obviously, I wasn't happy…but, I decided to give you guys the benefit of the doubt. I figured that it was fine. That nothing could really go wrong. You guys were _responsible_ enough to make sure everything would be alright."

Soul couldn't help but wince at her emphasis on "responsible".

"…except I get another call a while later, this time from Blair." Maka continued, glaring at the three of them. "Saying that you guys were out looking for Crona. That you'd _lost_ him."

Soul gulped. _We are so screwed…_

"So, of course, I'm out there, in the pouring rain, turning this entire city upside-down, trying to find him! I'm panicking because I'm thinking of all the things that could've happened to him, and just what separated him from you guys in the first place! And then, after picking up Tsubaki on the way, I finally find him and you at _your_ place!" she finished, pointing a finger at Kid.

Kid flinched slightly, before Maka leaned forward, glaring at all three of them.

"So…start explaining."

She glared at Soul.

"Why are _you_ covered in lipstick?"

Soul flushed slightly, rubbing his cheek.

Maka turned to Black*Star. "Why do _you_ smell so bad?"

Black*Star gave a small sniff, then wrinkled his nose.

Maka turned to Kid. "Why are _you_ soaking wet?"

Kid tugged at his damp shirt reflexively.

"And…most important of all…"

Maka then pointed at the other side of the room.

"What happened to _him_?"

The three of them glanced at where Maka had pointing, each of them giving a guilty grimace when they saw Crona.

He was sitting with Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty, who were each trying to cheer him up in their own way. Tsubaki had just returned with a cup of tea, while Liz had started wiping his face with a cool cloth, careful to not press too hard on the bruises or the swelling eye. Patty was playing with a couple of My Little Pony figures, and Crona was only half-heartedly playing along with her. He gave a small flinch as the cloth moved over his swollen cheek, which Liz immediately apologized for.

"Seriously, how does he _do_ that…?" Black*Star hissed through the side of his mouth.

"Not the time, man…" Soul hissed back.

The three quickly looked back when Maka slammed her book on the table in front of them, resulting in a loud _THUD_. She glared at them again, hand still on the book.

"_Talk_."

Soul, Black*Star, and Kid all glanced at one another. Soon, Soul looked back at Maka, and launched into an explanation.

/

Earlier

Crona sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. It had been a couple of days since the last mission, but it felt like it had only happened a few minutes ago. The time between then and now had been a complete blur. Crona assumed that he was just recovering from the battle, but it was still weighing on his mind.

_A monster, pretending to be a man._

Crona flinched as that sentence resurfaced in his mind. He could suddenly see him all over again, grinning down at him, mocking him…

_No. Stop._ he ordered himself. _He's dead. You killed him yourself. He's nothing now. Stop._

Crona sighed, shaking those thoughts out of his mind and looking back at his reflection. Maka had asked him to spend some time with her at her place, since Soul and the guys were going to be hanging out. Naturally, Crona said yes, now feeling as though he needed Maka more than ever.

Spending time with her always made him feel better. And if there was ever a time when he needed to feel better, it was now.

He readjusted his collar, hoping that he at least looked somewhat presentable. He then blinked in surprise when he heard knocking at his door.

"Oi! Crona! Open up!"

Crona turned to look at his door, recognizing the voice.

_Black*Star?_

He walked over and opened the door, and was surprised to see Black*Star, Soul, and Kid all standing there.

"W-What are you guys doing here…?" Crona wondered.

"We're here to pick you up, of course!" Black*Star answered.

This only increased Crona's confusion, as the three of them entered his room. "P-Pick me up…?"

"Yeah. We're all going out for the night, so we're bringing you along." Soul explained.

"What…? Why…?"

"Well, it is a _guy's_ night out." Kid said.

"Yeah! And you _are_ a guy, right?" Black*Star asked.

"Y-Yes, but-"

"Then it's settled! You're coming along!"

"B-But…" Crona stuttered. "I-I don't know how to deal with a guy's night out! I don't even know what we would do!"

"Oh, just get some grub, hang out at the arcade, that kinda stuff!" Black*Star answered.

"But before that…we should get you something different to wear." Kid remarked.

"Wait, what?" Soul asked.

"H-Huh?" Crona stuttered.

"Yeah!" Black*Star agreed. "I mean, no offense Crona, but you really gotta wear something besides that dress."

"It's a robe!"

"Yeah, and Maka wears a kilt. Anyway, let's go!"

Seeing no other option to get out of this situation, Crona did the first thing that came to his mind.

He called for help.

"Ragnarok!"

That familiar _splortch_ rang through the room as Ragnarok uncurled from Crona's back, leaning over his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm up, what?"

"Holy crap, he lives!" Black*Star shouted.

"I told you guys he was back…" Soul remarked.

"Yeah, I'm back from the dead, what-the-fuck-ever." Ragnarok grumbled. "What's so important?"

"We're taking Crona out for a guy's night out." Kid explained. "That's not a problem, is it?"

Ragnarok looked down at Kid, then at Crona, whose expression pretty much said that it _was_ a problem. He stared at him for a few moments, before turning to look at Black*Star.

"We're getting fed, right?"

"Yep!" Black*Star replied.

"…I don't see a problem."

"_Ragnarok_!" Crona protested.

But Ragnarok had already gone back into Crona's back, crushing his last hope of getting out of this. He gave a small whimper, feeling utterly defeated.

"Crona…" Kid started, tilting his head. "Do you not want to spend time with us?"

Crona blinked. "I-I don't-"

"You can't spend time with just Maka, you know." Kid continued, crossing his arms. "Aren't we your friends too?"

Crona flinched, his eyes widening in panic.

"O-O-Of course you are! B-But I just-"

"Great, let's get going."

With that, Kid started walking out of the room. Black*Star suddenly started pushing Crona after him, which Crona tried to resist.

"B-But I already told Maka I'd go see her!" Crona explained.

Soul sighed. "Figured you did. Hang on, I got this."

"W-Wait, what're you-"

He saw Soul walk over to his mirror and start to make a call, just as Black*Star finished pushing him out of the room.

"Soul, wait!"

"Hello?" Maka's voice rang out.

"Hey, Maka, Crona's going to be hanging out with us tonight. That OK with you?"

"He is…? I thought he was coming over here…"

"Yeah, slight change of plans there. Sorry."

"…well, I guess it's alright…"

"_Soul_!" Crona cried out.

"…what was that?" Maka asked.

"Uh, night won't last forever, gotta go!" Soul responded.

"Soul, wait a-"

There was a loud _ding_, indicating that Soul had hung up. He then ran out of Crona's room, closing the door behind him.

"See? Taken care of."

Crona groaned, giving up as Black*Star continued to push him down the hall.

Maka was _not_ going to be happy with him.

/

"Why do I need new clothes, anyway?" Crona asked as they stopped in front of the clothes store.

"I dunno, it was Kid's idea." Soul answered.

"I just thought that you shouldn't have to wear the same thing every day." Kid replied. "It only makes sense."

Though Kid had a point, Crona couldn't help but wonder if there was something else to it. He looked up at the store in front of him, at the various displays inside and the multitude of different clothes.

The subject of him wearing "normal" clothes had come up before, but Maka hadn't brought it up since, and Crona didn't see the need to talk about it. He didn't really get why it was such a big deal, or why the guys were suddenly pushing for it.

He blinked when he noticed something odd. In the reflection of the glass of the store window, he could've sworn he saw two people looking at him while whispering to one another.

He turned around to look behind him, only to see those two people quickly walk away, still talking to each other.

It didn't take long for him to connect the dots.

"…guys…?" he questioned, turning back to look at them. "Why did you bring me along…?"

"…Crona, we already told you." Soul answered.

"It's just…it doesn't make a lot of sense…i-if you're embarrassed of me…"

There was a loud _slap_ as Kid's palm connected with his forehead, while Soul quickly stepped into Crona's viewpoint.

"We're not embarrassed of you, Crona! Really, we're not!"

Soul then looked beside him at Black*Star, who was staring off into space. He gave him a sharp nudge with his elbow.

"_Right_?"

Black*Star blinked. "What? He already knows we're not!"

Soul glared at Black*Star, while Kid walked over, placing a hand on Crona's shoulder.

"Alright, Crona…" he started. "I haven't been completely honest with you…"

Crona turned to look at Kid, his face showing both confusion and worry.

"I'll be blunt: a lot of people in this city know who you are. I don't think I need to tell you why."

Crona flinched. Kid definitely didn't need to explain what he meant.

"So…I just thought, if you were wearing something different…"

"…I wouldn't stand out as much…?" Crona finished.

Kid frowned, moving his hand away. "…basically, yes."

Crona looked down. Kid was probably right in his logic. His outfit did make him stand out from the crowd. And if he stood out too much, chances were something bad would happen.

And it definitely didn't make Crona happy to realize this. It made him remember how difficult it was for him to walk the streets alone. How everyone continued to look at him…

"…I think I'm just going to go home…" Crona whispered.

He turned to walk away, but Soul quickly ran in front of him, grabbing both of his shoulders.

"Crona, just wait a minute." Soul asked.

Crona looked up at Soul, but didn't answer.

"Look, we _want_ you to hang out with us. Honestly, we do." Soul explained. "We just don't want you to get hurt because some idiot decides to pick a fight with you, that's all."

Crona blinked in surprise. "…people want to fight me?"

"Well…I dunno, maybe. I'm just saying, someone might."

Black*Star walked up beside Soul, leaning over to look at Crona. "Hey, it's not that big a deal! We'll just grab something real quick and then we'll be out of there! And it's just for tonight, anyway. You can go back to wearing your dress later!"

"Robe." Kid commented.

"Oh, shut up."

Crona looked back and forth at the three of them. They were all smiling encouragingly at him, which helped his mood a bit. Not by a lot, but a bit.

…_they actually want to spend time with me…_ Crona thought.

"…I guess…if it's just for tonight…"

"Great! Let's go!" Black*Star shouted.

"Kid, you stay out here." Soul said, moving his hands away from Crona and looking at Kid.

Kid frowned. "…why?"

"It doesn't make sense for all of us to go in. Besides, we'll only be a few minutes."

"…well, alright."

With that, Soul grabbed Black*Star's and Crona's collars and started pulling them along, quickly heading into the store.

Once inside, Soul let them go, giving Black*Star the chance to look at him oddly.

"Why can't Kid come in?" he asked.

"Because if he did, we'd be here for five hours while he tries to find a symmetrically perfect outfit for Crona." Soul explained before walking away.

"…oh, yeah, good point." Black*Star mentioned.

Crona frowned, looking around the store. He was amazed at the sheer amount of clothes littered about. Shirts of all sizes and designs. Pants of various lengths. Skirts and long dresses for the girls. A section for underwear. (which Crona quickly looked away from)

_I really don't get it…_ Crona thought. _Why do people worry so much about clothes?_

He was surprised when Soul suddenly came back, plopping a couple of garments in Crona's arms.

"These'll do." Soul said, before pointing at a room further in the store. "Dressing rooms are over there. Let's get you changed."

Crona was quickly guided over to one of the rooms by Soul. He went inside, Soul closing the door behind him.

"Just put them on. We'll pay for them on the way out."

"O-OK…"

"By the way, do we have enough money for this?" Black*Star asked Soul.

"We should be fine." Soul answered. "Besides, we can always get more from Kid if we have to."

Black*Star grinned. "It's great having a rich friend."

"Definitely."

"U-Um…Soul?" Crona asked from behind the door.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Y-You gave me underwear…"

Soul blinked, then sighed. "Sorry about that. I forgot."

"I-I don't have to wear them…do I…?"

"Not if you don't want to."

"Wait, he doesn't wear underwear?" Black*Star asked.

Soul responded by loudly shushing Black*Star, before looking back at the door.

"If you don't want them, just slide them under the door."

"O-OK…"

Soul looked down as the garments slid out from behind the door. He reached down and picked them up, giving Black*Star a chance to look at them. He had to stifle a laugh once he saw the white boxer shorts with smiley faces all over them.

"S-Seriously, dude?"

"Oh shut up, I was in a hurry."

After a few more minutes of waiting, Crona opened the door, wearing his new clothes.

"So? What do you think?" Soul asked.

Crona looked down at himself. The black jeans weren't too weird, but the grey hoodie was a couple of sizes too big for him, and he could barely see thanks to the combination of the hood and his unruly hair.

He looked back up at Soul and Black*Star.

"I look like a hoodlum."

He was surprised when both Soul and Black*Star suddenly slapped their own foreheads, giving dual groans.

"What? What'd I-" Crona started, before thinking about what he'd said. He quickly slapped his own forehead. "Oh."

Soul moved closer and grabbed the back of Crona's hood, pulling it down.

"There. That'll do."

Crona blinked, taking a second and looking back into the dressing room at the mirror.

…_I don't look TOO bad, I guess…_

"Great! Grab your dress and let's go!" Black*Star said.

"Robe." Soul replied.

"Stop that!"

/

At the end of the day, Crona had decided that hanging out with the guys wasn't so bad.

Dinner had gone a lot better than he had expected. He thought that something would've gone wrong, but once they had arrived at the pizza place, everything went smoothly. The food was good, and just talking to the others about random, everyday stuff was surprisingly calming. The only weird thing was when Ragnarok popped out and devoured half of the pizza, and even then, Kid was prepared with more.

What was even more surprising to him was that the plan to disguise Crona in regular clothes had actually worked. Most of the people there hadn't even given him a second glance, and the ones that had seemed confused, looking as though they had seen him before. The clothes themselves weren't so bad either. Crona was worried that he would somehow feel different in regular clothes, but it didn't really bother him at all. He still felt the same as he always did.

After dinner, the four of them went to the arcade, which was a whole new experience for Crona. The flashing lights and various sounds coming off of the machines had initially caught Crona by surprise, but he quickly became used to them, even if he didn't feel like playing anything.

Even after Soul placed a number of tokens in his hands to join in with them, Crona decided to just watch them play. He was with Soul and Black*Star, who were playing some shooting game together, while Kid was off on his own. He watched the two of them point fake guns at the screen, pulling the triggers while moving them around in conjunction with the figures appearing.

"Hey." Black*Star said. "Something I've been wondering about."

"What?" Soul asked.

"Who do you think Kid would be more interested in? Liz or Patty?"

"…I wasn't aware he was interested in either of them."

"I'm not saying he is. I'm just saying, out of the two, who would he be more into?"

"How do you even know either of them is his type?"

"Dude, would you just play along?"

Soul sighed, clicking his gun at a couple of targets. "You first."

Black*Star grinned, shooting a few of his own. "I think he'd be into Patty."

"And why's that?"

"Because she's _fun_, man. Any time you run into her, you know you're gonna go on some wacky adventure or something. Kid needs a bit more adventure in his life."

"…you think the son of Death needs more adventure in his life?"

"Well, what he _needs_ is to stop being such a killjoy. And Patty would help him do that!"

"Yeah, I thought we were supposed to be figuring out who _Kid_ would be interested in. Not who _you_ would be interested in."

"Hey! Who says I'd be into Patty?"

"Oh please." Soul scoffed, shooting and missing a target. "You're a cocky braggart who loves getting into a good scrap, and she's a ball of pure energy who can turn into a homicidal nutcase at the drop of a hat. It's like you two were made for each other."

"So, what, you're saying he'd be more into Liz?" Black*Star asked, missing his own target.

"Out of the two, yeah. Liz is a lot more down-to-Earth than Patty is, plus she doesn't take any crap. She can be pretty damn gutsy when she wants to be, even if she does freak out about "gross" stuff. She's just cool in general."

"Yeah, and you criticize me for talking about a girl I might like, Mr. Hypocrite."

"And just what makes you think I'd like Liz?"

"C'mon, I know you're into older girls."

"I am not! …and besides, Liz isn't that much older than me!"

"Uh, guys…?" Crona started.

"In a second, Crona." Black*Star responded. "Anyway, we still don't know which he would like more."

"And like I said, they might not be his type." Soul replied. "…what is Kid's type, anyway?"

"Who knows? I just figured that, since he hung out with them all the time, he might like one of them."

"How many times do I have to tell you that that whole "meister-weapon relationship" thing is a ton of crap?"

"Hey, just because it is for you doesn't mean it is for someone else."

"Well, how would he even choose between them? 'Cause if he picked one, he'd probably upset the other."

"Well, he'd still have to pick one!"

"Actually, I'm a polygamist."

Both Soul and Black*Star jumped slightly, turning their heads to the side. Kid was now leaning in between the two of them, having come back while they were talking.

"I tried to tell you…" Crona said.

Black*Star tilted his head, still looking at Kid. "…are you really?"

"Maybe. Or I could just be lying to mess with you two."

He then looked up at the screen. "You're done, by the way."

Soul and Black*Star looked at the screen to see "GAME OVER" flashing in bright red. Soul gave an annoyed sigh, while Black*Star glared at Kid.

"That's not fair! You distracted me!"

"Maybe you should have been paying attention rather than talking about my love life."

Soul glanced over at Kid. "You want a turn?"

"No thank you. It wouldn't work unless I could use both guns."

Soul shook his head, before looking at Crona. "How about you, Crona?"

Crona was about to say no, but stopped himself. Here Soul and the others had gone out of their way to bring Crona with them for the night, and he was just standing around, just acting like an extra wheel.

_I should at least try to have fun…_ he thought.

He stepped forward, putting a token in the machine and picking up the gun.

"Just point and pull at the stuff you have to shoot." Soul explained. "Some of the things that pop up aren't targets, so make sure you don't shoot them. And move the gun away from the screen to reload. Real simple."

When he put it like that, it didn't seem all that simple. Still, Crona didn't comment, and instead looked at the screen as the word "GO" flashed in green.

A target suddenly appeared, and Crona whipped around and clicked. The virtual character fell and disappeared.

Another one popped up, Crona already aiming and clicking at it. Another one soon followed, only to be "killed" by Crona as well.

Again and again, target after target appeared only to disappear in a few short seconds. A non-target suddenly popped up, and Crona quickly aimed away from it and took out another target that had appeared alongside it. Every other second, Crona flashed the gun away from the screen, resuming firing at the enemies as soon as the reticle was back on it.

After a short while, the words "GAME OVER" flashed on the screen, a large score appearing underneath it. Crona placed the controller back in its slot, then turned to look at the others.

He was surprised when they all stared back at him, mouths hanging open slightly.

"…what…?" Crona wondered.

"…Crona, have you played this game before?" Kid asked.

"N-No…why…?"

"You sure?" Black*Star added. "Because I've never got that high a score before!"

Crona blinked, looking back at the screen, then back at them.

"…did I do something wrong?"

"No, of course you didn't!" Soul replied. "We're just surprised that you were so…good."

Crona looked back at the game, still wondering what all the fuss was about. If it was supposedly so easy, why was Crona the only one who so good at it? It was incredibly basic to him. Take out a target, leave the ones that aren't alone. What could be simpler?

Then it clicked in his head. It was basic to him because of his training. Training that he had received very early on in his life.

"…I think I'm done with this game…" Crona remarked, walking away from the machine.

"Wait a sec, Crona!" Soul said, pulling something off of the machine and walking over to Crona. "You forgot your tickets."

Crona turned, frowning. "Tickets?"

"Yeah. Here."

Soul placed a line of about ten small tickets in Crona's hand, which he examined curiously.

"What are they for…?" he asked.

"The prize booth, of course." Soul answered, pointing behind Crona.

Crona looked behind him to see a large desk at the end of the room, with various toys and knick-knacks behind it.

"…what do I get?" he asked.

"You're not going to go now, man!" Soul replied. "You're not going to get anything good with just ten tickets."

"Oh…"

Crona looked back at Soul and noticed that Black*Star and Kid had wandered off, Black*Star heading over to a claw machine and Kid following him. Soul walked over to a nearby pinball machine and placed a token in. Crona followed him over and watched him play.

"…you OK, Crona?" Soul asked.

"H-Huh?"

"You just don't seem like you're having a lot of fun, is all."

"N-No, I am…it's just…"

"Just what?" Soul asked, hitting the flippers.

"W-Well…I'm worried about Maka…"

Soul sighed. "Crona, I told you, it's taken care of. She knows you're with us, it's fine."

"I-I know…but, she'll still be upset…I mean, I told her I was going to see her…I've never broken a promise before…"

"It wasn't like you swore on your hands and knees that you'd see her tonight, Crona. It was just a little get-together that got cancelled. She'll get over it."

"But still, whenever we said that we'd get together, we always did…"

Soul sighed, looking up from the machine and directly at Crona.

"Crona, you really need to wake up."

Crona blinked. "W-What?"

"Do you really think you're going to go through your entire life without making Maka upset? That's just flat out impossible."

"B-But I don't want to make her upset!"

"Yeah, I know. And neither do I. That doesn't mean I won't."

Soul turned back to the machine, shooting out another ball and resuming play.

"People make mistakes all the time, Crona." Soul continued. "You can't go through life expecting everything to go perfectly. That just means you'll screw up more."

He focused on the game in front of him, hitting the flippers while still talking. "And friends don't always get along perfectly all the time. Sometimes they get into fights. But they always make up in the end and everything's fine."

"B-But what if the mistake that one of them makes is a really big one?" Crona asked.

"Then they just have to work extra hard to make up for it."

"But what if the mistake is so big that it's unforgivable…?"

"…I'd like to think you'd be smart enough to not make that big of a mistake in the first place."

The ball shot up through the machine, a few lights flashing on and off afterwards.

"Crona, this is _you_ and _Maka_ we're talking about here." Soul continued. "If she was willing to forgive you for all the stuff you did before we even met, she's going to forgive you for something like this."

Crona flinched slightly at his past being brought up, but he had to admit that Soul was right.

"Besides, she pretty much knows that this was my idea." Soul explained. "So if she's going to get mad at anyone, it's gonna be me."

"…Soul, you shouldn't have to-"

"Now don't you start taking the blame on purpose, Crona." Soul interrupted. "Really, you're blowing this completely out of proportion. She'll get annoyed at me dragging you off with us, but that's all. It'll be fine."

Soul moved away from the machine, grabbing the few tickets he'd won in the process.

"Anyway, you want a turn with this?"

Crona looked at the pinball machine, then back at Soul.

"N-No, that's OK…I'm just going to go see what the prize booth has…"

"Alright then…"

Crona started to leave, but stopped when Soul put a hand on his shoulder.

"Try to have some fun, OK?" he asked, head tilted.

Crona blinked, but nodded before walking away.

He soon arrived in front of the prize booth, Soul's words in the back of his mind. Though he did want to enjoy himself, he didn't want to force it. If he just purposely tried to make them feel happy, he'd probably wind up making things worse.

He looked up at the various prizes behind the desk. They were mostly cheap items one could find at a dollar store. Random silly hats. A few candy bars. What looked like a plastic baseball bat. Nothing that really interested Crona.

At least, until his eyes fell on the bear.

It was a fairly large teddy bear, but it didn't really stand out that much. Yet its fluffy brown fur and oversized red bow tie made it impossibly cute. Crona was surprised someone hadn't already snatched it up before he got there.

For some reason, he couldn't stop looking at it. It was as if the stuffed animal was somehow calling out to him. Like it wanted to be taken away.

It was then that an idea entered Crona's head. It was because of that idea that Crona made a decision:

He was going to get that bear.

He looked down at the sign underneath it. He needed two hundred tickets to win the bear.

He looked at the line of ten in his hand. He had a lot of work to do.

"Black*Star, I told you, those things are rigged." Kid said as he and Black*Star walked away from the claw machine.

"Whatever! I'm gonna get something out of that machine if it kills me!" Black*Star angrily replied.

"You could probably just get something from the prize booth if you really wanted to."

"It's got nothing to do with the prize! It's a matter of pride now! If I'm going to surpass God, I can't let something like a stupid claw machine beat me!"

Kid sighed, shaking his head as he walked up to Soul, who was leaning against a wall.

"Hey. What're you doing?"

Soul pointed in front of him. "Watching."

Kid and Black*Star turned to look at what Soul was pointing at, and found a rather peculiar sight.

Crona was running back and forth between the various machines, trying to find one that was unoccupied by another person. He stopped in front of a racing game and quickly sat down.

"What's gotten into him?" Black*Star asked.

"Perhaps he's finally starting to enjoy himself?" Kid offered.

"Maybe…but something seems off about it." Soul replied.

"What do you mean?" Kid asked.

"He's been running around like this for a while now. Like, as soon as he's done a game he's off trying to play something else. I actually saw him getting annoyed because he kept trying to get back to that shooter game and it was taken."

"…maybe he just really wants to play?" Black*Star answered.

"No, it doesn't seem right…" Soul replied.

They then noticed that Crona had stopped playing the racing game and was running towards them. He zipped past them and stopped in front of the claw machine, before turning back to look at them.

"Can you get tickets from this thing?" he practically shouted.

"Uh…I don't believe so…" Kid answered.

Crona gave a frustrated growl before running over to the pinball machine. He shoved a token in and leaned down, tapping the buttons furiously.

Soul looked at the other two, before cautiously walking up beside Crona.

"Uh…you OK, man?"

"Fine! Yes, I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be fine?"

"'Cause you're running around all over the place like you're on crack or something?" Black*Star offered.

"Oh, I'm just having _fun_, that's all! Lots and lots of _fun_! Trying to get all the tickets! Got to get the tickets, got to get so many tickets, got to, got to…"

Kid frowned, then noticed the abundance of lines of tickets sticking out of the pockets on Crona's jeans.

"Uh…just how many tickets do you have, Crona?"

"One hundred and eight."

The three blinked in surprise. "Already?" Kid said.

"Yeah. Would've got more, but everyone keeps hogging that light gun game. Because they _know_. They _know_ that that one gives out the most tickets. They're trying to get more before me. But they won't. I'll get them all! They can't stop me!"

Suddenly, the world "TILT" lit up on the pinball game.

"Tilt? _Tilt_? What does tilt mean? I don't understand what the game is trying to say!" Crona yelled.

"It just means that you shook the machine, Crona…" Soul answered.

"_What_? I didn't shake the machine! This thing is cheating! It's trying to keep the tickets away from me!"

"Dude, your hands are shaking like mad. That's probably what did it." Black*Star explained.

Crona pulled his hands away and looked at them, noticing that they were trembling. He gave another growl and reached into the pocket of his hoodie for another token.

He paused for a second, patting the hoodie a couple of times. He then quickly turned to look at the others, and Soul noticed that his eye was twitching slightly.

"I. Need. More. Tokens."

The three of them stared at Crona for a few seconds, noticing the expression on his face. It was hard to read, but it looked like Crona was perfectly willing to start breaking the machines open to get his hands on the tickets if he couldn't get them the right way.

Soul and Black*Star both turned to look at Kid. Kid quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, reaching in and pulling out a bill.

"This should cover-"

Crona quickly snatched the bill out of his hand and ran off.

"ThankyouI'llpayyoubacklater!"

Kid and the others watched in mild amazement as Crona resumed running back and forth between the various machines.

"…so he's after tickets, I see." Kid commented.

"Maybe he just found something he really wants?" Soul suggested.

"Something he really, _really_ wants…" Black*Star added.

"What could be so important that he would act like this to get it?" Kid wondered.

Soul frowned. _Crona's been acting really weird lately…he was acting odd when he first started going to that theater, but now he's been a total mess. What's gotten into him? It couldn't be because of the mission…could it?_

"Hey! Crona!" Black*Star called. "You can't get any tickets from the air hockey table!"

Soul heard Crona shout "dammit!" and run off to another machine.

"…I think something's wrong with him." Soul said.

"What do you mean?" Kid asked.

"Well, look at him. When was the last time he ever acted like this?"

Kid frowned as he watched Crona in action.

"Not only that, but considering what happened a few days ago…" Soul continued.

"…just how bad was it?" Kid asked.

"He went completely apeshit, man. Sure, taking on Dracula was pretty gutsy, but he actually pinned him down and started punching him in the face. That's past gutsy and into full out crazy. And at first, I thought it was just because Maka was in trouble, but now I'm starting to wonder…"

Kid frowned, then shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe he's just grown up a little."

"How do you figure?" Soul asked.

"Well, maybe he's just more comfortable with his surroundings, is what I mean. As such, he's more willing to show his feelings and emotions. After all, consider what his life was like before now."

Soul frowned. "Yeah, OK, but what does that have to do with him flipping out?"

"Not all of his reactions are going to be positive ones, Soul. What I'm saying is that before, he never really showed what he was thinking or feeling, out of fear for getting in trouble. But now he isn't worried about that as much, but he isn't used to showing his emotions. So when he gets angry, he'll go into a full-blown rage. And when he gets frustrated, he'll act like…well, like this."

"…so he just jumps to the extreme without any middle ground?"

"I don't know. It's just a theory."

Soul sighed. It did make some degree of sense when it was presented like that, but something still seemed off about it. The answer was right in front of him, but Soul just couldn't seem to make the connection.

Suddenly, Crona dashed past them again, carrying a mound of tickets in his arms. He stopped in front of the prize booth, dropping them on the desk in front of a very surprised attendant.

"I'm taking the bear."

/

"I still can't get over this." Black*Star declared as they walked down the street. "You're trying to tell me you ran around like a maniac just to get a teddy bear?"

Crona turned to look back at Black*Star while hugging the bear in his arms. "W-What's so weird about that…?"

"Just…it's a teddy bear! I just don't get why'd you spend so much of our money for a teddy bear!"

"_My_ money, you mean." Kid interjected.

"I said I would pay you back, Kid…" Crona replied.

"I know you will, don't worry."

"But why couldn't you just get one from a store or something if you wanted one so bad?" Black*Star asked.

"…I wanted _this_ one." Crona answered.

"But there was a ton of cooler stuff you could've got!"

"Guys, just give it a rest, will you?" Soul interrupted. "They were his tickets. He could get whatever he wanted with them."

"But he missed out on a lot of other stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, so I've heard. And Black*Star, if you hit me with that bat again, I'm breaking it over your head."

Black*Star lowered the toy baseball bat he had won. "Dude, it's plastic."

"I'll still do it."

Black*Star sighed, before looking at Crona again.

"Come on, there's got to be some other reason for you getting that!"

Crona flushed slightly, looking away from Black*Star.

"I-It was the biggest prize there…that's all."

Soul turned to look at Crona, raising an eyebrow while doing so.

_He can't really expect anyone to believe that, can he?_ he wondered.

"…OK, I guess that makes sense." Black*Star responded.

…_then again, it is Black*Star we're talking about here._

Black*Star then suddenly ran in front of Crona, causing him to stop in his tracks.

"In that case, give it to me!"

Crona froze. "W-What?"

"It only makes sense! After all, someone as big as me should have the biggest prize there is!"

"No way!" Crona shouted, holding the bear away from Black*Star. "Y-You can't have it!"

"Black*Star, that doesn't make any sense." Kid interjected. "He actually earned that bear himself. It wouldn't be right for him to just give it to you. It wouldn't have any meaning or significance."

"…oh yeah, that's true." Black*Star replied.

He then pointed a finger in Crona's direction.

"In that case, fight me for it!"

"_No_!" Crona yelled.

"Black*Star, that still doesn't work." Soul said. "Why would he fight you for it when he didn't fight anyone to win it? It'd only make sense if you did all the stuff he did."

"…yeah, you're right." Black*Star replied.

Black*Star paused for a second, then walked past the three of them and started heading back the way they came.

"I'll just be a minute."

Kid quickly grabbed a hold of Black*Star's scarf. "Oh no you don't! We're not spending another three hours in there while you struggle with that damned claw machine!"

"I refuse to lose to that thing!"

Soul sighed, shaking his head before glancing over at Crona. He saw that he was now hugging the bear tightly against him, a small smile on his face while he looked down at it. Soul couldn't help but smile himself, glad that the night wasn't a total waste.

He then saw Crona look up ahead, his expression changing to one of fear. Soul turned to look at what he saw.

"…aww _shit_."

Kid and Black*Star walked up beside him. "What is it?" Black*Star asked.

"Dropouts."

The two of them looked at the gang that had just appeared in front of them. "Gang" being the only proper term to describe them. The four men looked as though they had stepped out of a 1950's period piece, each of them wearing thick leather jackets and having slick, greasy hair. They all glared at the group, eyeing them like they each had a bulls-eye on their chest.

"D-Dropouts…?" Crona asked.

"Losers who couldn't hack it at the academy." Black*Star answered.

"Naturally, Father allowed them to remain in the city so that they would have somewhere to live." Kid explained. "Even though it would've been better to let them go, the lazy fools."

One of the gang members turned to look at another.

"Hey, that kid just said "Father". Is he talking about Death?"

"You mean that's Death's kid?" the other replied.

"Guy must be loaded then…" a third added.

"Yeah, but he looks kinda weird…" the fourth said. "I mean, he looks just like a regular guy. Except for those three-"

_WHAM_!

The member was cut off by Black*Star's fist colliding with his face, sending him flying back. The remaining three gaped at Black*Star, who pointed a finger at their fallen comrade.

"We are _not_ going through that!"

Soul sighed, shaking his head as he stepped forward. "Honestly, you _know_ he's the son of Death and you're going to try and mug him anyway? No wonder you guys flunked out."

Kid frowned, stepping forward as well. "While I appreciate you both standing up for me, I am more than capable of fighting my own battles."

Black*Star blinked. "You mean you didn't notice the one guy's hair?"

"Notice what?"

Kid then squinted his eyes, examining the three thugs still standing. He stopped once he saw the one in the center, and immediately pointed a finger at him.

"_You_!"

The thug blinked. "Me?"

"Why is your hair hanging off to one side? It completely ruins any symmetry you might have had! That's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!"

Soul sighed, turning to look at Black*Star. "Did you have to point that out?"

"What? I thought he already saw!"

"You absolutely disgusting pieces of filth!" Kid roared, stomping his foot on the ground. "I should just throw you out of this city myself! The last thing my Father's beautiful creation needs is your presence!"

Soul tilted his head. "So, we're running them outta town?"

"Exactly!"

Soul grinned, showing off his sharp teeth. "Coolness."

Black*Star started to crack his knuckles. "Alright, who wants to go first?"

The remaining three gang members stared at them for a few long seconds. They then promptly picked up their fallen friend and ran in the opposite direction, each of them encouraging the others to move faster.

"Yeah, you punks _better_ run!" Black*Star shouted.

"And you'd best hope I don't catch your dirtying my father's streets ever again!" Kid added.

"Hah! I'd like to see them try to show their faces after this! They didn't even try to fight! I guess they knew that they couldn't measure up to someone as big as me!"

"Ugh, how can Father even let them live here? They contribute absolutely nothing to this city or the world as a whole! I swear, he can be far too nice for his own good."

"Dude, your dad's _Death_. He can afford to be nice. It's not like these guys are going to rise up and start a rebellion against him."

"Maybe not, but think about how they affect everyone else. Especially with all those rumours flying about-"

"Um, guys?" Soul interrupted.

Kid and Black*Star looked back at him.

"Where's Crona?"

/

"Crona! Where are you?" Kid called out as they wandered down the street.

"Come on out, Crona! It's us!" Black*Star shouted.

"Crona! Come on, man!" Soul yelled.

The three of them stopped in front of ChupaCabra, not having had any luck in finding Crona, despite looking for what felt like hours. Soul looked up at the building, then over at Black*Star.

"Why are we here?"

"Well, I just figured that Crona would've gone somewhere he recognized." Black*Star answered.

"…you thought that _Crona_ would've gone to the _ChupaCabra_?"

"Well, Blair works here! And he knows Blair!"

"And that means he'd be more likely to stay away!"

"Even so, he has a point." Kid added. "Crona would be more likely to go somewhere he's already familiar with. We should go back to your place."

"Oh no!" Soul replied, whirling around to look at Kid. "No way are we going back there!"

"Why not? It makes sense that he would go there."

"And suppose you're wrong? Suppose he isn't there? Then we'd have to tell Maka that we lost him! We'd be dead before we even hit the ground!"

"So we're not even going to look there?"

"No, we're going there after we've looked everywhere else!"

"This is so stupid." Black*Star grumbled. "We're purposely going to avoid the one place that makes the most sense because you're scared of pissing off Maka."

"Hey, you know as well as I do what she's like when she's angry! But as soon as Crona's thrown into the mix, it's a whole other story!"

"Well, this wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't dragged him along like this."

"And I wouldn't have had to drag him along if _you_ remembered to ask him to begin with! This whole thing was _your_ idea, anyway!"

"I didn't ask him because I didn't think he'd want to go!"

"He never says he wants to do anything! You have to ask him first!"

"Both of you, stop!" Kid shouted, stepping in between Soul and Black*Star. "Arguing like this isn't going to get us anywhere! Now, we _will_ find Crona, we _will_ get him back home, and this night _will_ end on a positive note! I refuse to allow things to get any worse!"

It was then that Soul felt the first few drops of water land on his head. In just a few seconds, the rain was already pouring down.

Both Soul and Black*Star glared at Kid.

"…I deserved that." Kid remarked.

Soul sighed, walking over to the door. "You two stay out here. I'll be back in a second."

With that, he opened the door and walked in.

A few seconds later, he suddenly burst back out, a look of intense fear on his face.

"He's not here let's go!"

Before Kid or Black*Star could ask what was going on, Soul was suddenly yanked back in by Blair.

"Now now, Soul, you should stay and visit for a little while…"

"Blair, this really isn't the time-"

"Aw, come on. I never get to see you now…what with you working all the time…"

"Guys! Little help?"

Black*Star and Kid looked at one another for a second, before turning back to look at Soul.

"Sorry Soul, but I'm afraid it's simply too late."

"Wait, what?"

Black*Star pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "You were like a brother to me, Soul…I'm gonna miss you, man!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

The two of them then clicked their heels, saluting at the same time.

"Godspeed, you magnificent bastard!" they shouted simultaneously.

(meanwhile, in the depths of space, a certain space pirate feels like he's being ripped off)

With that, the two of them ran off.

"_I'm gonna kill you both for this_!" Soul shouted as they ran away.

Both Black*Star and Kid screeched to a halt soon after, pausing to catch their breath.

"Think we're far enough away?" Kid asked.

"…yeah, we should be fine." Black*Star answered.

"…Black*Star?"

"Yeah, Kid?"

"Why did we just do that?"

Black*Star paused for a second, tilting his head in thought. After a few seconds, he answered.

"I have no idea."

Kid stared at Black*Star in disbelief, which Black*Star blatantly ignored. He then leaped up onto the wall of a nearby building and started climbing.

"…what the hell are you doing?" Kid asked.

"I figure I'll have a better chance of spotting Crona from on the rooftops."

"How will that work if he's already inside somewhere?"

"That was just a theory of mine, dude. Don't hold me to it."

"That doesn't answer my question-"

"_Kid, heads up_!" Black*Star suddenly shouted.

Kid instinctively looked up.

_SPLOOSH_!

The balloon fell and hit his face, exploding and sending water flying everywhere.

Kid started coughing loudly, the water having gotten into his nose.

"Sorry!" a voice suddenly yelled. "I was aiming at my brother!"

Kid looked up to find the source of the voice, only for a nearby window to close shut.

He then looked over at Black*Star when he heard him break into loud fits of laughter.

"This isn't funny, Black*Star!" Kid shouted. "I just had this suit pressed this morning!"

Naturally, Black*Star didn't care, and continued howling with laughter.

That is, until he slipped off of the wall and tumbled to the alleyway below.

_CRASH_!

Kid winced once Black*Star landed in the dark alley. He heard Black*Star groan in pain, then slowly walk out onto the street. He flicked a stray banana peel off of his shoulder, glaring at Kid's smirking face.

"Still laughing?" Kid asked.

"Oh, shut up." Black*Star replied. "The rain made the wall slippery."

Kid shook his head, then suddenly wrinkled his nose. "Ugh! What did you land in? Horse manure?"

"Hey, you're not exactly looking that great yourself!"

Kid sighed, picking a stray piece of rubber out of his hair. "Who plays with water balloons when it's raining, anyway?"

Kid then felt a tapping on his shoulder and turned to look at the source. He saw Soul glaring at him, and couldn't help but smirk at all the lipstick plastered on his face.

"Oh, thank Father! He survived!" Kid remarked.

"Way to go, Soul!" Black*Star added, giving Soul a thumbs-up.

Soul growled, readjusting his jacket. "I'd just like to clarify that I hate you both right now."

Black*Star burst into laughter again, and Kid couldn't help but give a few chuckles himself.

They both stopped when they heard someone suddenly run up behind them, panting heavily.

Kid turned to look at the source, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

"_Crona_!"

Crona continued to gasp for air, his head lowered. He slowly raised his head as Kid continued speaking.

"Thank goodness! We've been looking everywhere for-_sweet merciful Death_!"

Kid's sentence became a cry once he got a good look at Crona's face. His expression changed to one of pure shock, one that was matched by Black*Star and Soul.

"…w-what is it?" Crona asked, furiously blinking due to the swelling around one of his eyes. His cheek was starting to swell as well, and there were numerous bruises around his face. His lip had been cut pretty badly, a few drops of black blood still lingering on it.

"Holy shit, Crona!" Black*Star shouted. "What happened to you, man?"

"N-Nothing…" Crona answered.

"This can hardly be called "nothing", Crona!" Kid exclaimed. "You look like you just got mugged!"

Soul simply stared at Crona, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Is that what happened?" Black*Star yelled. "Did you get a good look at the guys?"

"Just name the ones responsible, Crona!" Kid added. "I'll have them out of here before tomorrow morning!"

"That's if there's anything left of them once _I'm_ done with them!"

"Guys!" Crona shouted. "Really, don't worry about it…there's something more important…"

Crona then slowly raised his hands, showing what he was holding. The teddy bear from earlier had been torn apart, its head in one of Crona's hands and its body in the other.

"Oh no…" Kid muttered.

"Kid." Crona said. "You can sew, right? Can you fix this?"

Kid blinked in surprise. "…Crona, I really think we should worry more about what happened to you!"

"Yeah!" Black*Star added. "We can fix that anytime! We need to get the guys who did this and-"

"_No_!" Crona shouted, before turning to look directly at Kid. "Kid, this is really important to me! I need to have this fixed and it needs to be now! _Please_!"

Kid stared at Crona in both confusion and amazement. It was enough that he had no idea why Crona was so fixated on this bear, but the fact that he would worry about it over himself right then.

Seeing that there was no arguing this, Kid sighed.

"Alright. Let's head to my place."

/

The four boys quickly ran into Kid's house, Kid running over to the table in the dining room.

"Put it over here." he said.

Crona quickly ran over and placed the two pieces of the bear on the table just as Kid ran out of the room.

"I'll be right back."

Crona nodded, fidgeting nervously as Black*Star and Soul walked up beside him.

"So why do we have to get this fixed now?" Black*Star asked.

"W-We just do." Crona answered.

"…why?"

"Because we do."

"There's got to be a-"

"Black*Star, please!"

Black*Star sighed, throwing his hands in the air. Kid then came running back into the room, holding a sewing kit in his arms. He placed it on the table and sat down, stretching his fingers.

"Just give me a few minutes to work my magic."

"R-Right…" Crona replied.

Kid quickly pulled out a needle and a spool of thread and immediately got to work.

Minutes passed as Kid carefully worked on fixing the bear, none of the guys even thinking of interrupting him. Crona was pacing back and forth behind him, nervously chewing on his thumbnail.

Black*Star had only barely been paying attention to the conversation regarding Crona's mannerisms, but he had to admit that Kid had a point. Just the fact that he could go from as wildly frustrated as he was to incredibly nervous in the span of a few hours…

"Dude, could you stop that?" Black*Star asked. "It's getting kinda annoying."

Crona stopped, looking at Black*Star. "S-Sorry…I'm just worried…"

"There's nothing to worry about, Crona." Kid said. "I'll have this as good as new in a little bit. Just give me time."

"I know…I know…"

Crona sighed, nervously rubbing his hands together. He then stopped when he saw Soul, who was leaning over one of Kid's chairs, face obscured.

"…Soul? Are you OK?" Crona asked.

"…I'm really sorry, Crona…" Soul whispered.

Crona blinked in surprise and confusion. "For what…?

"For what?" Soul exclaimed, suddenly turning to look at Crona. "Just look at you, man!"

Crona blinked, then pointed at his face. "Th-This?"

"Yes, that! I take my eyes off of you for a second, and then I find you all beat up like this! What else would I be talking about?"

Crona simply stared at Soul, still confused. Soul sighed before continuing.

"…I was just trying to help you, Crona. I know how badly the last mission messed with you. I thought that just doing something…well, normal, would help you feel better…but I fucked up. I fucked up so bad…I kept pushing you to come with us when I should've just left you alone…and now this happened-"

"Soul, please…" Crona interrupted. "You didn't do anything wrong…I'm glad I came with you guys tonight."

Soul blinked in surprise. "You are…?"

"Y-Yeah…like you said…it felt normal. I think I needed something normal for once…"

He then sighed. "And, if anything, I should be apologizing to you guys…I'm the one who ran off just because things looked bad."

Black*Star scoffed. "Oh come on, Crona! That was nothing! Hell, I could've taken on all four of 'em myself if they hadn't run off!"

Crona smiled slightly at Black*Star, before looking at Soul again.

"Even so…regarding this…" he continued, pointing at his face. "If I had just stayed with you guys, this wouldn't have happened…so, if anything, it's my own fault…"

"Crona…" Soul started.

"W-Weren't you the one who said to stop taking the blame for everyone else…?" Crona said.

Soul blinked in surprise, then smirked despite himself. _He says that right after taking the blame for what some stupid punks did…_

"So, how much longer is this going to take?" Black*Star asked.

"I'm trying to get this done as quickly as possible." Kid replied. "But I'm also trying to make sure it looks natural. I don't want this to just be a patch job. It has to look _right_."

"And by "right", he means symmetrical." Soul explained.

"Yes, thank you for the commentary, Soul. And besides, I also want to get this finished and get you guys out of here before Liz and Patty-"

"Hey, Liz, the guys are back!" Patty said, standing in the doorway, wearing her pajamas.

"…find out we're here." Kid finished.

Black*Star tilted his head. "Are you doing this on purpose now?"

"Shut up."

Patty ran over to the guys, wide smile on her face as always.

"Hey guys! Did you have fun while you were-_WAH_!"

Patty's sentence trailed into a shout once she saw Crona's face. Crona blinked, reaching up and touching his cheek, then wincing in pain.

"I-It isn't _that_ bad…is it?"

"Are you kidding?" Patty exclaimed. "You look like you got hit in the face with a meat tenderizer! More than once!"

"What's all the commotion about?" Liz asked as she entered the room, walking towards the group. "You guys are back kinda soon. And why is Kid working on a-_GAH_!"

_Please tell me this isn't going to happen every time…_ Crona thought as Liz ran up to him.

"Oh my God, Crona!" Liz shouted. "What happened to you?"

"N-Nothing, really…"

"Nothing? You call this _nothing_?"

"Alright!" Patty shouted, suddenly rolling up her sleeves. "Who're the dead men walking who did this? I promise, by the time I'm done with them, I'll be able to change my room to a nice fresh shade of _red_!"

"N-No, Patty, you don't have to…"

"Crona, this is serious!" Liz interjected. "We can't let something like this just go ignored!"

"B-But it was no one! I-I mean…I-I don't know who they were…"

"Well, what about a facial description? Or clothes? Or eyes, or hair? There has to be something!"

"N-No, really, there isn't-"

"Alright, I'm done!" Kid declared, getting out of his seat.

The others all gathered around to take a look at Kid's work. Crona picked up the bear, quickly examining it.

"I have to admit, I didn't really have the time to give enough attention to the details…" Kid said.

Crona looked at the bear, carefully feeling it with his fingers. It looked almost exactly like it did when he first got it earlier that night.

"…it's perfect…" he muttered.

Kid smiled. "Now, Crona, there's no need to exaggerate. I doubt that it's absolutely-OOMPH!"

Kid's sentence was cut off by Crona suddenly moving over and hugging him, which caught both him and everyone else in the room by surprise.

"Thank you so much, Kid!" Crona exclaimed.

"…u-um…" Kid started, before gently patting Crona's back. "Y-You're quite welcome, Crona…"

Crona then pulled away from Kid, looking down at his hoodie. He blinked slightly at the sudden wet spot on it, before looking back up at Kid.

"…you're soaked."

Kid sighed. "Yes, there was an incident with a water balloon while we were looking for you…"

"…who plays with a water balloon when it's raining?"

"I have no idea…"

Patty then suddenly pinched her nose, looking at Black*Star. "Dude, you stink!"

Black*Star grumbled. "It isn't _that_ bad…"

Liz tilted her head while looking at Soul. "Why are you covered in lipstick?"

Soul sighed, rubbing his cheek. "Don't ask…"

Crona looked at Soul and Black*Star, head tilted.

"What happened while I was gone…?"

"Well…" Soul started.

_BOOM_!

Six heads turned to look at the source of the noise, the front doors of the room swinging open. Though a somewhat tired-looking Tsubaki was the first to walk in, everyone's eyes were glued on the other person.

One incredibly furious Maka.

"Uh-oh." Black*Star muttered.

/

Now

The room grew quiet as Soul finished his explanation. Maka simply stared at the three of them, not making a sound or a move.

After a few agonizingly long minutes, Maka slowly turned and walked away from the couch. She stopped in front of a window, looking outside, not making a sound.

Crona couldn't help but wince at how awkward the situation felt. No one else moved or did anything for a while longer. After which, Tsubaki carefully got to her feet and walked behind the couch.

"Well…" she started. "It's pretty late…I think Black*Star and I are going to go home now…"

Maka didn't answer. Tsubaki looked down at Black*Star, who got to his feet and walked beside her. The two waved at the others quickly before leaving the room.

Liz sighed, getting to her feet as well. "C'mon Patty. Let's go."

Patty nodded, also getting to her feet. She stopped to gently ruffle Crona's hair before following her sister out, Kid not far behind them.

The room remained quiet for a few more minutes, Crona wishing that someone would say something. After a few more minutes of awkward silence, Soul got to his feet.

"…I think I'm going to go see them home." he said. "OK…?"

Maka didn't move, continuing to look out the window. After a few seconds, Soul walked behind the couch and out of the room.

Crona looked at Maka, who still hadn't moved an inch even though it was just the two of them. Despite what he and Soul had talked about before, he couldn't help but feel guilty for everything that had happened that night.

If anyone was going to fix this, it would have to be him.

Picking up the teddy bear from off of the table, he hugged it close while walking over to Maka.

"…Maka?" he whispered. "…please don't be mad at them. Th-They didn't do anything wrong…Soul just wanted to include me-"

"I know." Maka interrupted. "…I'm not mad at them, Crona. Really. I'm not."

Crona couldn't help but be skeptical, given Maka's reaction. Still, he didn't say anything.

Maka gave a sigh, before turning away and walking over to the couch, sitting down. Crona quietly followed her, sitting beside her and placing the teddy bear on the table in front of them.

The room grew quiet once again, Crona wondering if he'd made any difference in what he said. He couldn't help but wonder what Maka was thinking about, and whether or not she was just upset or if there was something more to it.

"Crona?"

Crona looked at Maka. "Y-Yes?"

Maka frowned, staring directly at him.

"I understand if you don't want to tell them…but…can you at least tell me what happened?"

Crona flinched, before looking down.

"…you won't like it."

"Tell me anyway."

Crona had a feeling that this was probably the only chance he was going to get to talk about this. He gave a small sigh, before looking back at Maka.

"…OK…"

/

Earlier

Crona stopped in front of the alleyway, pausing to gasp for breath. He slowly walked towards it, leaning against one of the walls while holding the bear close to him.

Soon, he heard that familiar _splortch_ as Ragnarok squeezed his way between Crona and the wall, looking down at him.

"Hey! You sure this is such a good idea? I mean, you just left them there."

Crona looked down. "…I couldn't risk it, Ragnarok…"

"Risk what?" Ragnarok asked, leaning over. "The bear? Jesus, are you really that worried about it?"

"Th-That's not it…or, rather, that's not all of it…"

"Then what is it?"

"…if I fought…I don't know if I would've…"

Crona stopped, letting the sentence fragment hang in the air. Ragnarok sighed, reaching down and turning Crona's head up.

"Are you seriously comparing you beating the shit out of Dracula, the fucking Prince of Darkness, to taking on a few random punks?"

"I-It could still happen…"

"…so, what, this is it? You're never going to fight again because you _might_ snap?"

"…I don't know…"

Ragnarok then suddenly looked up, straight ahead. He quickly dove back into Crona, causing Crona to look at what he had seen.

He quickly recognized the two thugs from earlier, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Geez, I can't believe we just ran like that, man…" one of them said.

"You saw how quickly that guy took him down! We didn't stand a chance!" the other replied.

"Yeah, but still-"

The two stopped when they saw Crona.

"…hey, wasn't that one with them?"

"…yeah…grab him!"

Crona quickly ran into the alley before either of them could get close enough. He ran down to the end, before skidding to a halt, seeing the other two gang members from before.

"And just where are you going?" one of them sneered.

Crona turned and started running back, before running into one of the first two he'd seen. He stumbled back, giving a small "oof" as he hit the ground, the bear falling out of his arms. He turned again, only for another thug to suddenly grab him and slam him against the way, his forearm against Crona's throat.

Crona choked and struggled, trying to worm his way away from the man's arm.

"I-I don't have anything! Honest, I don't!"

The man glared at Crona. "Does it look like I give a shit about money right now?"

"Hey, hang on a sec." another one said, moving closer. "I think I recognize this kid."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! It's that Crona guy!"

_Oh God…_ Crona thought, his eyes widening.

"…really?" the first man said, looking at the other. "You mean the witch Medusa's kid?"

"Gotta be!"

"…well, ain't that a fucking laugh!" the first one said, looking back at Crona. "They let _you_ back into the academy, but we're left high and dry! That doesn't sound all that fair to me!"

The man pressed his arm against Crona's throat, causing him to gag. "What, you gotta have a body count to make it into the academy now? How's that for fucking justice? We only flunked out because of technicalities, but they let a fucking mass murderer back in no problem!"

_**Man, I am so sick of listening to this fucktard!**_ Ragnarok growled in Crona's head. _**C'mon, let's just-**_

_No. Don't._ Crona replied.

…_**what?**_

_Just don't. Just…just leave it alone._

…_**Crona, you're not seriously-**_

_Just let them get it out of their systems…they'll go away when they're done…_

_**Goddammit Crona, this is NOT the time for you to have a guilt trip!**_

_Ragnarok, please…_

The man pulled his arm away, causing Crona to stumble forward as he gasped for air. He then carefully stood up, head lowered.

"…hey? What's the matter? You feel bad for what you did?"

Crona stood still for a few seconds, before slowly nodding.

"Well, good. Because what you did was a very bad _thing_!"

_WHAP_!

The man punctuated his sentence with a quick punch across Crona's face, causing Crona to stumble to the side.

Crona winced as he felt his face sting, but did his best to ignore it. He slowly straightened up again, face still lowered.

"…you know, I think you should be punished for what you did. Don't you agree?"

A few seconds of silence, then a nod.

"Good. Then you won't fight back, will you?"

A few more seconds of silence, followed by Crona shaking his head.

"Attaboy."

_WHAP_!

Crona felt another fist move across his face, stumbling away.

_WHAP_!

Another one, this time across his other cheek.

_WHAP_!

Another, this one sending him against the wall.

And with each blow, Crona slowly got back to a standing position, keeping his head low.

"Hey, hey, yeah! That's it! Just take your punishment like a fucking man!"

_WHAP_!

"Hey, you sure it's a guy? He looks kinda girly."

"Well fuck, I'm assuming he is."

_WHAP_!

"Well, you know what they say about assuming."

"What are you, my mom?"

"No, it definitely wasn't me I was in bed with last night."

"Man, fuck you."

_WHAP_!

"Hey, look what I found."

Crona couldn't help but look up when one of them spoke. His eyes widened when he saw the baseball bat in his hands.

_Oh God…_ Crona thought.

"Batter up!" the man shouted.

Before Crona could prepare himself, he swung.

_WHUMPF_!

All of the air rushed out of Crona's lungs as the bat connected with his stomach. He immediately fell to his knees, coughing and hacking violently, gasping for air.

"Oh shit, I think he's gonna be sick."

"Hold him up."

Crona felt two arms pull him up, pinning him against the wall behind him. He felt another hand go under his chin, moving his face up so that he was looking at one of the thungs.

"Fuck, can you believe this?" he crowed. "Everyone was shitting their pants about this guy a few months back, and now look at him! The fuck were they freaking out about?"

"You think that's bad? Look at what he dropped!"

Crona turned his head to see another one of them leaning over the teddy bear.

"I mean, look at this! The big bad Crona needs a fucking teddy bear! How pathetic can you get?"

"_Don't touch it_!"

The four of them all looked in surprise at Crona, who was glaring daggers at the one leaning over the bear.

"I swear to God if you lay your filthy hands on that bear, _I will make you regret it_!"

The four looked at Crona in silence, each of them unsure of how to act. The one that Crona was threatening then grinned.

"Oh yeah?"

He then reached down and picked the bear up.

"Oh no. I'm touching it! I'm touching it! I've done a baaaaaaad thing!"

He started tossing the bear back and forth between each of his hands, grin still on his face.

"Oh no! Whatcha gonna do? I'm still touching it!"

He then turned the bear on its side, grabbing the head of it.

_SHRIP_!

He promptly pulled the head off of the body, the fluff inside flying out.

"Uh-oh. I broke it."

Crona stared at the two pieces of the bear in shock, eyes wide open, his expression frozen on his face.

"Man, would you quit playing with toys and take your shot?" one of the others said.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." he replied, dropping the two pieces on the ground.

He stood in front of Crona, balling his hand into a fist.

_DO IT!_ Crona screamed in his head.

The man swung.

_CRACK_!

He then suddenly screamed in pain, pulling his hand away. The fingers of his hand were bending in random, unnatural directions, and his face was frozen in horror as he stared at it.

The other three stared at him for a second, before turning to look at Crona.

They were shocked to see the look of pure fury on his face.

The one with the baseball bat let out a roar and lifted to swing. Crona grabbed one of the men holding him by the collar and pulled him forward just as the bat came down.

_CRACK_!

The man howled in pain as the bat connected with his shoulder, causing him to crumple to the ground. The one with the bat suddenly swung again, Crona raising his arm.

_CRACK_!

The bat splintered apart, the pieces flying off in random directions. Before the man could react, Crona grabbed the other one that was holding him and threw him in his direction.

_WHAM_!

The two collided, hitting the wall and slumping to the ground.

Crona then turned and marched towards the last one, who was still holding his hand in pain.

"N-No! Wait!" he shouted. "I'm sorry-"

_WHAM_!

The man was cut off by Crona's fist connecting with his cheek, sending him flying back. He skidded along the ground, stopping at the mouth of the alley.

Crona stopped, glaring down at the man. He was holding his chin and making strange moans of pain. Crona could tell that he had broken his jaw.

And then, just as quickly as his anger had appeared, it vanished.

Crona suddenly found it hard to breathe, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. He gazed at the man he had just hurt, lying there moaning in pain. Crona was amazed at how absolutely pathetic he looked.

Suddenly, it all started to rise up inside Crona. His frustrations, his sorrow, his regrets. It all came rising to the surface.

"…why…" he choked out. "…why does this keep happening…?"

The man looked up at Crona, still moaning and whimpering in pain.

"…I know I've done a lot of bad things…" Crona continued. "But I'm trying to do better…I…I _want_ to be a good person…I really do…I'm trying so hard to be good now…but you keep making that worse!"

He pointed down at the man, looking as though he was about to start crying. "You and everyone like you is just making things harder for me! And I don't understand _why_! Why can't you just let me be good?"

His breathing continued to come out ragged, his face showing complete despair.

"Do you think I don't see how people look at me…? They look like I'm going to turn bad at any second…like as soon as I'm out of their sight, I'll snap and start killing again…they still look at me like that…they're still afraid of me…"

He lowered his hand, still staring at the man.

"…but you do get that, don't you? Because you get that look too…except you do it on purpose. You _want_ that look…you want people to fear you…your clothes, your actions, your attitude…you want people to look at you like they look at me…"

He turned his head away from him, hair obscuring his face.

"…is it because it's so easy…? I can't seem to be good…I keep having such a hard time with it…is being bad easier…? Is it more fun…? …maybe I should try it, see what it's like…it sounds like something I could actually be good at…would I have fun, being bad…?"

He looked back at the man, a dangerous grin on his face. 

"Broken hand…broken jaw…maybe I should give you a broken neck too…"

The man's eyes widened, and he quickly got to his feet, running behind Crona and back into the alley. The other three soon followed him out, not stopping to look back at Crona.

The grin on Crona's face quickly vanished, and he walked back into the alley, stooping down to pick up the bear pieces.

_**Man, look at 'em run…**_ Ragnarok said in Crona's head. _**You really just going to let them go?**_

Crona didn't answer, grabbing some stray fluff and putting it back into the bear's body.

…_**what, were you just bluffing?**_

Crona still didn't answer, continuing to grab more fluff.

_**Hey! Hellooooooo?**_

Crona continued to stuff fluff back into the bear parts, keeping silent.

…_**fine, got it. Message received.**_

With that, Crona sighed, holding the two bear parts close as he got to his feet.

He then stumbled out of the alley, looking for the others.

/

Now

Crona looked away from Maka, having finished his story. He didn't want to see the expression on her face, expecting her to be disappointed in him.

It was bad enough that he had given into his guilt and let them hurt him the way that they did. But then he got angry and hurt them much worse. One of them would definitely have to go to the hospital, and the others would probably need a stay as well. And if they started talking about what happened…

Crona had been right earlier. The others hadn't done anything wrong. At least, not when compared to him.

He felt Maka's hand touch his shoulder, and he instinctively looked up. He was having a hard time reading Maka's expression. She was obviously upset, but there was something else he couldn't quite place.

Maka's other hand reached up and gently touched his cheek. The one on his shoulder moved up, touching the other.

Crona gave a small hiss of pain and Maka quickly moved her hand away.

"S-Sorry…" Crona muttered. "I guess Ragnarok doesn't feel like healing these right now…"

Maka's expression remained the same, which only confused Crona. She slowly lowered her head towards him, and Crona did the same, their foreheads gently touching. They remained like that for a short while, Crona trying to relax but feeling incredibly tense anyway.

"…there's still something I don't get." Maka whispered.

"W-What…?" Crona asked.

Maka gently pulled away, her hands moving away as well. She then looked at the table.

"That."

Crona turned as well, looking at the teddy bear.

"You only went after them when they ripped that apart." Maka said, before looking at Crona again. "Why?"

Crona sighed. It didn't seem like a good idea to explain that now, but since she brought it up, there didn't appear to be much choice.

He slowly moved forward, touching the bear…

…before moving it closer to Maka.

Maka looked at the bear, then at Crona. The intent quickly became clear to her, and her eyes widened.

_No._ she thought. _He didn't. He didn't go through all of that because of…_

"I-I knew you were upset…" Crona muttered. "B-Because I didn't come here tonight…then I saw that, and I thought…maybe, it would make up for that…"

He slowly looked up at Maka, not sure what she was going to do.

He definitely wasn't expecting tears to be running down her face.

"M-Maka?"

"I-I'm sorry…" Maka said, quickly wiping at her eyes. "I-It's just…when I heard that you'd disappeared, I got so scared…I knew you hadn't run off again, so I thought that something happened…but then you came back like this, and it was because of…"

Crona quickly grabbed both of Maka's hands, holding them together in front of her.

"I-I'm sorry, Maka! Really, I'm sorry!" he cried out. "P-Please don't be upset! I'll do anything! I-I'll stop fighting! I won't even go on missions if you don't want me to! Just please, don't cry!"

"No, no, stop." Maka said, gently pulling her hands away and placing them on Crona's arms. "It's OK…I just freaked out a little, is all…you don't have to stop going on missions or anything."

"But Maka-"

Crona was soon cut off by Maka pulling him into a hug, squeezing him tight. Crona quickly did the same, trying his best to provide some comfort for Maka.

"I'm just being stupid…freaking out over nothing…" Maka whispered.

"You are not…it's my fault…I don't want to scare you…"

"…it's naïve of me to think this…but I just don't want you to get hurt, Crona…"

Crona's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting her to suddenly admit that.

"And I know that can't happen, because of what we do…but I still don't want that to happen…least of all because of me…"

Crona squeezed Maka closer, suddenly realizing the problem.

"It wasn't because of you, Maka…" he whispered. "It was my own choice…it's like I said…it's no one's fault but my own…"

Still holding one another, the two of them slowly shuffled on the couch until they were sitting beside one another. Maka's head gently rested on Crona's shoulder, and Crona's head rested on hers.

"Let's just say it's both of our faults and leave it at that, alright?" Maka asked.

Crona smiled slightly. "OK…"

The two continued to hold one another, each of them more thankful than ever that the other was there. Maka gave a small sigh of relief, which Crona soon mirrored.

"…do you not want the bear?" Crona wondered. "Maybe I can take it back tomorrow-"

"No, no, that's OK." Maka answered. "I like it…it's cute."

Crona smiled, glad that he at least did something right tonight.

He then blinked when he felt Maka tugging at his hoodie.

"Geez…what were they thinking, making you wear this?" she asked. "It's way too baggy for you…"

"I-It's not so bad…I kind of like it…"

"…so, barring all the bad stuff, did you still have fun?"

"…a bit. I wouldn't mind going out with them again…though I'd like to do something else…"

Maka giggled slightly, which made Crona's smile grow wider.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes more, holding each other close.

"…so…" Crona started. "Did you still want to play cards…?"

"Heh, not a chance." Maka replied. "No, we're going to sit here, we are going to cuddle, and you are going to like it, mister."

Crona let out a small chuckle. "Yes ma'am."

_Does she really think I would say no?_ Crona wondered.

/

Well, if this has taught me anything, it's that I shouldn't set expectations for myself. I wanted to have this up yesterday, but it looks like my brain had other plans.

Anyway, there's still another part to this story, so stay tuned for more. I'd like to think it's short enough for me to have up tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath.

Until then.


	26. Hate

Alright, this should be the shortest one the three parts of this story, so hopefully I can get this done without delay.

This definitely won't be as action-packed as the first story, or as emotionally important as the second (I don't think, anyway). But I hope you all still enjoy it.

Away we go!

/

Sometimes, Crona wondered what his life would be like if Maka was his only friend.

Of course, Maka would always be the most important person in his life, but he sometimes thought of what would happen if she was the only person. Even Ragnarok would somehow be gone in the scenarios that he had dreamt up.

At first, it seemed like a wonderful thing. Getting to spend even more time with Maka than he usually did sounded perfect. But she couldn't be with him all the time, which meant that he would be alone quite a bit. That definitely wasn't something that he wanted.

Not to mention, she would be the only person he could talk to. The only person he could tell his problems to. The upside to that was that he would be more open with her, which could easily be a good thing. But that also meant that she might not view him in the way he viewed her. Crona could probably accept something like that, but he definitely wouldn't like it.

Not only that, but he wasn't sure if he really could interact with anyone else if he only talked to Maka. If he would be so used to being with only her that he'd falter at being near anyone else. He wasn't entirely sure if he would mind such a thing, but realistically speaking, it wouldn't be a good thing.

In the end, Crona came to the same conclusion he had already figured out a while ago.

It was good to have friends.

"Crona, for the last time, you are flat out _incorrect_." Kim said, arms crossed. "Pinkie Pie is best pony. That's all there is to it."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's how you pronounce "Fluttershy"…" Crona replied.

"Now don't you get smart with me, pal. I know what I said."

"But what you meant to say was Fluttershy…"

"No, I didn't. I'm pretty sure I didn't mean to say that."

"You might not think you did, but that is what you meant…"

"OK, smartass. Why is Fluttershy the best pony?" Kim asked, turning to look at Crona.

"B-Because it's impossible for her not to be."

"…I don't follow."

"It's easy. You can't not like Fluttershy. It just can't be done."

"I'm not saying I don't like her. I'm just saying I like Pinkie Pie more."

"But that can't be done either. Fluttershy can't not be the best pony. It's just impossible."

"…Crona, you really need to work on this whole "arguing" thing."

Crona turned to look at Kim. "Were we arguing? I'm sorry…"

Kim rolled her eyes, before nudging Crona with her elbow. "Oh, look at you. Suddenly becoming Mr. Comedian. Didn't know you had it in you."

Crona blushed slightly, a small smile on his face.

"O-OK, why is Pinkie Pie the best?" he asked.

"Because she's hilarious! You never know what she's gonna do when she pops up on the screen! She's like the lost Looney Tune or something!"

"…I think that's overdoing it a bit."

"Oh shush, you know that's a perfectly accurate description."

"…actually, I was expecting you to say that you liked her because her hair was pink."

"What? That's just dumb, why would I-"

Kim stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing what Crona was getting at. Crona couldn't help but tense up, hoping that he hadn't gone too far.

He was relieved when a grin broke out on Kim's face.

"Oh ho ho! _Someone's_ asking for it."

Crona quickly looked away. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, suuuuuure you don't."

"…by the way, do you think Pinkie and Fluttershy could be related? I mean, they have the same hair colour-"

"Alright, that's it." Kim interrupted, getting out of her seat and pointing at Crona. "Your ass is grass."

Crona quickly jumped out of his seat just as Kim moved to grab him. He ran to the end of the desk, stopping in front of the stairs.

"N-Now, Kim…I w-was just trying to be funny, that's all…" Crona stuttered.

"Oh, I know. I can appreciate funny just fine." Kim replied, slowly moving closer. "Like, me giving you a good ass-whooping. I'd find that positively amusing."

Crona quickly dashed down the stairs just as Kim moved forward to grab him. He ran down and stopped in front of the classroom door, stopping to look at Kim.

"I-It was just a joke!"

"Oh, I know. And I'm not offended. I'm still gonna smack you around some."

"Th-That doesn't make any sense!"

"What's going on here?"

Crona turned around to see that Ox had walked into the room, now staring at him in confusion.

"…would you mind explaining why you're running from Kim, Crona?" he asked.

Crona opened his mouth to speak, but Kim managed to speak first.

"Oh, Ox, honey?" she said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Would you be a dear and hold Crona still so I can kick his ass?"

Crona looked at Ox, who simply shrugged.

"Sorry, Crona."

Before Ox could move, Crona dashed past him and out the door.

"Sorry!" Crona called back. "I just remembered that I'm supposed to have lunch with Maka! See you later!"

With that, he ran down the hall just as Ox and Kim walked out of the classroom.

"…he can certainly run fast for someone in a dress." Ox commented.

"Robe."

"Whatever."

Kim frowned, looking up at Ox.

"…hey, you're not still mad at him or anything, are you?"

Ox gave a forced smile. "Mad? Who said I was mad at him? That whole event was just silly!"

"Uh-huh…" Kim replied, not believing him for a second.

"I mean, it was just a silly theory of his!" Ox continued, his voice slowly growing louder. "Really, there's nothing to prove that Harvar's gay! Because he's not. Definitely not. Completely straight. Absolutely. Not gay at all. Wouldn't even think of-MMPH!"

Ox was cut off by Kim suddenly grabbing his shirt and pressing her lips against his. She held him there for a few minutes, giving a slight "mmm" while doing so. She then pulled away, giving Ox a slight grin.

"Stop talking so much."

Ox blushed furiously, a wide smile on his face.

"Y-Yes ma'am…"

/

Crona skidded to a halt at the top of the steps, stopping to catch his breath. Maka looked up at him from her seat on the top step, eyebrow raised.

"Hey. I was starting to wonder where you were." she said.

Crona looked at her, giving a sheepish smile. "S-Sorry…I was just talking with Kim…"

"Oh. Alright."

Maka then patted the space beside her, and Crona quickly sat down, legs dangling over the steps. Maka then reached into her bag and pulled out two sandwiches wrapped in plastic, handing one to Crona.

"Here you go."

Crona took the sandwich, blushing slightly. "Y-You didn't have to make me lunch, Maka…"

"That's OK. I wanted to." she replied, smiling at him. "You like PB&J, right?"

Crona nodded, carefully unwrapping the sandwich. He took one of the halves and nibbled the corner. After a few quick chews and a swallow, he turned to Maka and smiled, which was all the indication that she needed that he liked it. She smiled back, and the two started eating.

The two sat in silence, enjoying their meals and the atmosphere around them. A number of students were wandering about the grounds, but Crona and Maka paid them no mind. The air was crisp and cool, yet only blew about gently. The sun was high in the sky, yet its rays mixing with the cool air resulted in a comfortable warmth spreading over the two of them.

"So…" Maka started. "You're friends with Kim now?"

Crona tensed, despite not really knowing why. "Y-Yes…"

"I'm actually kind of surprised." Maka continued. "I didn't think you two would get along that well."

"Sh-She's OK…she's a bit pushy, but she's still nice…"

"Heh, that does sound like her…"

Crona frowned, looking down at his feet. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd done something wrong. If making friends with Kim had somehow driven a ridge between him and Maka.

…_she doesn't think I'd replace Kim with her, does she?_ Crona wondered. _But I don't like Kim like that…but Maka doesn't know that I like HER like that, so she wouldn't know…oh no, I didn't make her upset AGAIN, did I_-

Crona stopped when he felt Maka gently poke his arm. He looked back up at her, noticing her small smile.

"I'm glad you went and made a friend, Crona. Really, I am."

Crona blinked in surprise. _How does she keep doing that?_ he wondered. He then pushed those thoughts aside, smiling back at Maka in relief.

The two then resumed eating, simply enjoying each other's company.

Crona couldn't help but feel at peace. His last few days had been a complete mess. The mission and its aftermath was still hanging around in the back of Crona's mind, and the incident when he was with the guys didn't help matters at all. More than anything, he needed something relaxing. Something mundane. Something normal. And what could be more relaxing than spending time with Maka?

Crona couldn't think of much of anything that would've made him happier.

His good mood was suddenly diminished when he noticed something odd.

He wasn't sure why, but he had the strangest feeling that he was being watched.

He carefully turned his head to look behind him, wondering why he was suddenly feeling this way.

He saw a girl leaning against the wall of the school, glaring in his direction. She was wearing the standard school uniform, and had brown hair with a few blonde streaks running through it. Crona had absolutely no idea who this person was, or why she was glaring at the two of them.

Of course, there was the obvious answer to her hatred, that being Crona himself. Crona soon assumed that this was the explanation, and slowly turned his head back to its regular position.

"M-Maka…?" he whispered.

Maka blinked, looking at him. "What is it?"

"C-Can we…sit somewhere else…?"

"What? Why? What's the matter?"

"W-Well…"

Crona wasn't entirely sure he wanted to tell Maka about the girl, but she had already asked, so there was little point in not explaining.

"Th-There's this girl…back there…she's staring right at us…I-I can't deal with that…"

Maka blinked in surprise, then turned to look at the school. She then gave a low groan, turning back.

"Oh, _wonderful_."

Crona blinked, looking at Maka.

"Y-You know who that is…?"

"Yeah. Leiko Hamasaki. She's only been here about a year now, but she keeps strutting around here like she owns the place. Don't know where she gets it. From what I've heard, she's only got a handful of souls so far."

"…how do you know her?"

"Don't worry about it. Just ignore her and she'll go away."

Crona frowned, wondering why Maka didn't give an explanation. Still, he chose not to press it, and resumed eating quietly.

Neither of them made a sound, the air around them now growing tense. Crona hoped it would pass, but he had a feeling that, given how things had been going lately, that wasn't about to happen.

He soon heard footsteps moving towards them.

"M-M-Maka…" Crona whispered.

"I know." Maka whispered back. "Like I said, just ignore her."

Crona thought that running would've been the better option, but remained rooted where he was.

The footsteps soon came to a stop, the area around them growing quiet again. The tension had grown to the point that Crona could swear he could feel it pressing down on him.

"Hey. Albarn."

Just from hearing her voice, Crona could already tell he didn't like this Leiko person. She spoke with a commanding tone, as if she expected everyone to listen to her, yet it felt very forced. Her voice in general was gruff and confronting, but it didn't feel natural.

But what caught Crona's attention was that she was speaking to Maka, not to him.

"Hey! Albarn! I'm talking to you!"

Crona glanced over to see that Maka hadn't moved at all, and was still eating her sandwich.

"What? You too good to talk to me now?"

_She definitely is…_ Crona thought. _…wait, "now"?_

He heard Leiko give a loud sigh, before she continued.

"How do you like that? The great Maka Albarn gets put into this special group called Spartoi, goes and makes a Death Scythe, and all of a sudden she thinks she's too big for everyone else."

_Just who does this person think she is?_ Crona wondered.

"You're a real uppity bitch, aren't you?"

Crona had to force himself to not choke on the piece of sandwich in his mouth.

_**Wow, this one's got a mouth on her, doesn't she?**_ Ragnarok remarked in Crona's head.

…_Ragnarok, don't even suggest it._

_**What? Come on, you know it'd be easy! Hell, we could probably kill her without even getting up!**_

_Ragnarok, this is completely different than before! It's not Dracula, it's not the punks, it's just another student! There's no way we can do that!_

_**So, what, you're just going to sit here and take this shit?**_

_Maka said to just ignore her and she'd leave. That's what we're going to do._

"Man, I don't know where you get your attitude." Leiko continued. "It's not like you're anybody special."

Crona tensed slightly, focusing on eating his sandwich.

"I mean, you're not fooling anyone. Everyone knows you're only a big deal because of Soul Eater."

_Not even remotely close to true!_ Crona thought.

"He's the one with all the skill. All the talent. You're just some no-name who happened to get lucky with the right guy."

Crona noticed that his hand was starting to shake, and he had to force it to stop. _Calm down._ he ordered himself. _This is not the time. Focus. Calm. You cannot snap. You cannot._

"But I can see why you'd hide behind him. After all, you keep trying to take after your mom."

Crona froze.

_WHAT did she just say?_

"I mean, Kami Albarn was one of the most powerful meisters to ever come through the academy. Everyone knew who she was. Everyone wanted to be just like her."

Now Crona was getting confused. He already knew that Maka idolized her mother. So why was this person trying to make that sound like a bad thing?

"Yeah, she was great and all…until she shacked up with Death Scythe, anyway."

Crona's eyes widened. _She isn't…she's not about to go there…_

"Just goes to show what people can really be like when things get too bad, huh? I mean, no one's seen her at all since she and Death Scythe split up. What's up with that, anyway?"

_Crona, calm down…she needs to shut her mouth, but you need to CALM DOWN._ Crona ordered himself.

"God knows what the marriage must've been like. This is why people who aren't in love just shouldn't get together."

_Shut up shut up shut up shut up_ kept running through Crona's head, despite his best efforts to control himself.

"But I guess that's why it's so important that you try to be better than her, huh? Want to prove to everyone that you're not an accident, right?"

To say that that was the final straw would be like saying vampires hate sunlight.

Before Crona could stop himself, he was already on his feet and had spun around, glaring directly into Leiko's eyes.

Maka quickly got to her feet as well, grabbing Crona's arm and trying to pull him away.

"Crona, don't. Just forget about it. C'mon, let's just go."

Crona didn't budge, continuing to glare at Leiko. Leiko raised an eyebrow, a smug look on her face.

"What? You got something to say to me?"

Crona could only barely tell that his hands were shaking again, his head flooding with nothing but pure anger. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to do right then. He wished he could've focused his anger into something solid to use on her, just to accurately depict how absolutely furious he was.

All it would take was one word. One word from him and Ragnarok would be in his hands, and he'd already be swinging. One quick swing would be enough to end her. Or he could have him harden the black blood and then just go after her himself. That would be so much more satisfying. Or he could just have Ragnarok scream his head off. From this range, he could probably make her permanently deaf, or do even worse damage to her head.

It would be so, so easy. She was nothing. She was nobody. No one would miss her. She was just talking too much, trying as hard as possible to prove herself…

It was then that something clicked in Crona's mind. Her actions, her demeanor, her words…it suddenly became incredibly clear to Crona. All the pieces fell into place.

"Well?" she said. "Do you?"

Crona's hands stopped shaking, and he suddenly found himself abnormally calm. But, in a way, it made sense. He had already won. It was so obvious to him that he had to force himself to not start smiling in victory.

"…actually…" he replied. "I do."

He felt Maka pulling harder on his arm.

"Crona, stop it." she said, trying to walk away while holding his arm. "It isn't worth it. Just stop this and let's-"

"I sympathize with you."

Maka stopped, blinking in disbelief. She definitely hadn't expected those words to come out of Crona's mouth. She turned back to look, and saw that Leiko's expression was the same as hers, staring at Crona in surprise.

"…wait, what?" Leiko asked.

"I sympathize with you. Honestly, I do. I get where you're coming from."

Maka slowly walked up beside Crona, letting go of his arm and keeping her eyes on his face. _Just what is he doing…?_ she wondered.

They were both surprised when Crona's expression suddenly softened, changing to one of what appeared to be pity.

"It's no fun being weak, is it?"

Leiko's expression changed from confusion to anger faster than a traffic light.

"Ex_cuse_ me? Just what are you-"

"You are. It's obvious." Crona interrupted. "The way you talk, the way you act…you're trying to hide how weak you are. You're trying so hard that it's only coming through even stronger."

Leiko blinked in surprise, not really getting what Crona was driving at.

"See…I think I get what you're going through." Crona continued. "You're starting to realize that, no matter how hard you try, people keep appearing who are stronger than you. Who are better than you. And no matter what you do, no matter how strong you get, they keep appearing.

Crona's expression changed to an intense glare. "It's an important lesson: No matter what, there will always be someone better than you. It's just a fact of life."

Leiko didn't respond, still staring at Crona in disbelief and shock.

"But, all the people I know have already learned this." Crona went on. "And do you know what they did? They made themselves stronger. They forced themselves to get better. They pushed themselves so that they would surpass those better than them, and when the next one came along, they did it again. …but that's not what you're doing."

Crona's eyes narrowed, hate and contempt covering his words. "No, instead, you're trying to make everyone else weaker. You're trying to drag everyone else down to _your_ level, so you can feel better about yourself without having to put forth any actual effort. So you make the people around you feel bad about their accomplishments so you can lord yourself above them, even though you've done nothing to deserve their attention."

Maka stared at Crona in surprise, wondering where all of this was coming from. She definitely wasn't expecting him to start to calmly deconstruct everything about this person.

"And you see, there's the problem." Crona continued, his glare still focused on Leiko. "Because what you're trying to do now is impossible. You can't drag Maka down to your level. It can't be done. She would need to unlearn everything she knows, undo everything she's ever accomplished…she would need to be a completely different person just to be within reaching distance for you. She doesn't pay any attention to you because you're simply not worth her time. That's all there is to it."

Leiko was now shaking, glaring back at Crona, her teeth grit.

"Just who do you think you are?" she hissed. "Who are you to-"

"Who am I?" Crona interrupted. "That's easy. I'm someone who's also weak."

Leiko blinked, simultaneously confused and surprised at the sudden admission.

"It's true. I am weak. Not as weak as you, but still very weak in general." Crona explained. "And that's why I'm even talking to you. Because I _can_ lower myself to your level, and I can do it very easily. Just by acknowledging that someone like you even _exists_, I've already lowered myself quite a bit. I could do exactly what you've done. I could belittle the accomplishments of everyone around me, and try to make myself sound better…but I won't."

He gave a small exhale, before continuing. "Like I said, I get where you're coming from. It's scary being weak. Believe me, I get that. You'd be willing to do anything to make that fear go away. It's scary to force yourself to improve. You're terrified of failing to do that, time and again, and being the same way you are forever."

Leiko started to shake again, still staring at Crona in shock.

"…I'm still very weak. I'm still not strong enough to force myself to get better." Crona admitted. "…but, I am stronger than you. And I am strong enough to understand that what you're doing is wrong. …not that I needed to be to realize that. Something else made it obvious."

Crona then leaned forward, glaring directly into Leiko's eyes, anger flashing across his face.

"_I don't like what you said to my friend_."

Leiko's eyes widened, now shaking with fear. Maka tensed up, waiting to see what Crona would do next.

"…so…" Crona whispered. "You can do one of two things. One, you can take what I've said to heart, and make yourself improve. You can get better. …or, you can ignore me, and keep doing what you're doing. You can keep trying to bring Maka down to your level, all while keeping the knowledge in the back of your mind that, the truth is, you're just wasting your time. That what you're doing is completely pointless."

Leiko was then very surprised to find a small smile come onto Crona's face.

"But, personally? I hope you pick the second one. It's no less than what you deserve."

With that, Crona marched past Leiko and back into the academy, leaving two very shocked girls behind him.

/

Maka stopped in the middle of the hall, pausing to catch her breath.

_Where is he?_ she wondered, looking up and around at the hallway.

She had been searching all over the place for Crona, after getting over the initial shock of what he'd said. Somehow, as he had a knack for doing, he'd managed to disappear in that slot of time.

She sighed, stopping and leaning against the wall. Class had already started up again, and she knew people would start asking questions as soon as they both walked into the room. She couldn't help but be annoyed at her current situation.

_Why did he go and do that?_ she wondered. _I asked him not to say anything…why didn't he listen to me…?_

She sighed, wiping some sweat off of her forehead. _Oh, who am I kidding? He thought that what she was saying was bothering me…but he has to know I wouldn't let something like that phase me!_

She stopped, realizing what she had just thought. She shook her head, getting off of the wall and preparing to start looking again.

"Well that was a complete waste of fucking time, wasn't it?"

Maka stopped, recognizing the voice.

_Ragnarok?_

She looked beside her and realized that she was beside the door to the boy's bathroom. She quietly leaned back against the wall, trying her best to listen.

She heard the sound of running water, as well as what sounded like splashing.

"Hey. Would you quit trying to drown yourself and answer me?"

Maka heard the water turn off, followed by a few seconds of silence.

"What was the point of that?" Ragnarok demanded. "You tell her off and then you just walk away? The fuck did that accomplish?"

"…I shouldn't have said anything…" Crona replied. "Maka's going to be mad at me now…"

"That's not actually answering the question, numbnuts."

"…it's still not any better, Ragnarok. It's getting so hard to control…"

_Control?_ Maka wondered. _What's he talking about…? …wait, does this have to do with…_

"Man, just about anything will set you off now, won't it?" Ragnarok remarked. "Fuck's sake, it was just some stupid bitch shooting her mouth off. It's not like she tried to tear Maka's throat out or anything."

Maka winced. _I knew it…it's just like what happened with Dracula and those punks…_

"So why was this time so different?" Ragnarok continued. "Why didn't you try to kill her?"

"…Maka would-"

"Oh for fuck's sake, enough already!" Ragnarok interrupted. "Maka this, Maka that, all Maka, every day, same Maka time, same Maka channel! Dear God, you have no free will of your own at all! All you ever talk about is what _she_ wants, what makes _her_ happy!"

Maka felt a few pangs of guilt, and she swallowed the lump that was building in her throat instinctively. She didn't like the idea that Crona would focus everything on her and not worry at all about himself.

"Just…just do this, alright?" Ragnarok asked. "Stop thinking about what _she_ wants for a second, and think about what _you_ want. Think about what you wanted to do to that girl."

Maka tensed up, carefully listening.

"Just admit it." Ragnarok continued. "You _wanted_ to kill her. You wanted to stab her through the throat, or cut her head off, or punch her in the face so hard her skull came out the other side. You can't fool me. That's what you wanted. Just admit to that much."

Maka's teeth grit. _That can't be true. Crona doesn't want to kill. He's never wanted to kill. I don't know where he's getting this from, but he's wrong!_

"…you're right." Crona answered.

Maka froze. _…no…_

"I…I did want to kill her. I wanted to kill her so badly…I just wanted to make her shut that fat, stupid mouth of hers…"

Maka leaned back against the wall, eyes wide in shock. That had been the last thing that she wanted to hear come from him. For him to actually say that he wanted to do what he had been trying to avoid for so long.

She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so helpless.

"But…" Crona continued. "I wanted to make Maka happy more."

Maka tensed again, not expecting Crona to continue. And she certainly wasn't expecting him to say that.

"…are you serious?" Ragnarok asked.

"Yes…the only time I'm really happy is when Maka is happy. That's what I want. And I tried so hard to make her happy, and not say anything…but I just couldn't let any of that go…"

Maka quickly raised a hand to her face and started wiping at her eyes, the tears already starting to come.

_No no not now please for the love of God not now…_ she begged silently.

"…you really fucking amaze me at times, you know that?" Ragnarok remarked. "So, what, are you actually going to stop fighting?"

"…I want to. …but I know I can't." Crona answered. "I have to keep doing this…because I have to protect her…but I can't keep acting like I'm going to fly off the handle at a moment's notice. I'll just get her hurt if I do that…"

"…so, what's the plan?"

"…I don't know…but I'll think of something. Not just for her, though. …for me too."

There were a few seconds of silence, before Maka heard a familiar gurgling sound, indicating that Ragnarok had gone back into Crona's body. She quickly got off of the wall, wiping at her eyes one more time, just as Crona walked out of the bathroom.

Crona turned to look at Maka, eyes widening in shock.

"M-M-Maka?"

Maka simply stared at Crona, not showing any sort of expression on her face.

"…Maka, listen, I'm really-" Crona started, only to be cut off by Maka suddenly grabbing hold of his hand.

He looked at her in surprise, noticing the smile suddenly appearing on her face.

"C'mon. Let's go for a walk." she said.

"…b-but…class has started."

"Screw class."

Crona looked at Maka as though she had just suggested that the Holocaust was an elaborate hoax.

"…I-I'm sorry…what did you say?"

Maka's smile turned into a sardonic grin.

"I'm pretty sure I just said "screw class"."

…_I think I've finally lost my mind._ Crona thought.

/

Maka and Crona casually walked down the street, hand-in-hand, not having any particular destination in mind. Not that Crona could've thought of a destination, as he was far too busy wondering just what was going on.

He had expected Maka to be upset with him, or to give some sort of reaction to what he'd done. And instead, she decided to skip class with him. It was one thing when she had to to avoid anyone seeing her after Blair's spell, but now she was willingly getting into trouble.

It made Crona wonder if everything had gone completely backwards in the short time he was in the bathroom.

"Crona?"

Crona blinked, looking at Maka. "Y-Yes…?"

Maka turned to look at Crona, smiling.

"I'm not mad at you."

Crona blinked in surprise. "Y-You're not…?"

"No. I'll admit, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't listen to me…but it turned out for the best, I think."

"What do you mean…?"

"Well, let's face it, she needed to be taken down a peg or two…and it's not like you punched her lights out or anything. Not that I would've blamed you if you did…"

Now Crona was even more confused than before. Maka was glad that Crona had told her off? He had actually done the right thing?

"B-But…w-why did you ask me to just ignore her…?"

Maka sighed. "I guess I just figured that she'd get bored and go away…like I said, it worked out in the end anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Crona simply stared at Maka, completely lost. Maka had been acting very strange the past few minutes. He had no idea what had brought this on. She was treating the incident that took place all of a few minutes ago with a general lack of care, and it confused him like nothing else.

Thinking about it again suddenly brought back something that Crona had noticed earlier. Before he realized what was going on, a question had formed in his mind and was already flying out of his mouth.

"Maka?"

"Hm?" Maka answered.

"…you dealt with her before…didn't you?"

Maka came to a stop, Crona quickly doing the same. She stared straight ahead for a moment, before giving a small sigh.

She turned around and faced Crona, gently taking both of his hands in her own.

"Crona…" she started, looking directly at him. "I want you to understand that _nothing_ that she said affected me. I promise you, she didn't bother me at all."

"But…she still talked to you…didn't she?" Crona whispered.

"…yeah, she did."

Crona slowly lowered his head, his hair obscuring his face.

"Crona, it was obvious that she was just trying to get a rise out of me." Maka continued. "I knew that, and I didn't let anything she said bother me. Really, Crona, I'm fine. I promise."

"…I just don't understand." Crona murmured. "Why would anyone treat you like that…?"

Maka sighed. "Not everyone's going to like me, Crona. Obviously someone's going to have a problem with me, because they might not agree with me or might not like something I do or a part of who I am. After all, I'm not perfect-"

"I know…" Crona interrupted. "I know you're not…"

Maka blinked. She wasn't expecting him to admit to knowing that.

"But…" he continued. "If you're not perfect, I don't want to know what perfect is supposed to be."

Maka blushed brightly. She definitely wasn't expecting such a compliment.

She felt Crona move his hands away and retake them, gently squeezing them.

"I know I put you on a pedestal, Maka…" he whispered. "But that's because you deserve to be on one…you deserve to have everyone admire you and look up to you…just like I do."

Maka could feel her face getting hotter and hotter, and was thankful that Crona was still looking down at his feet. She knew that Crona looked up to her to some degree, but to hear him actually admit to that, especially after what she'd heard earlier…

It was then that a very strange urge came over her.

They weren't that far apart. She could easily move close enough to close the gap in a few seconds. She could easily get her face close enough to his…

She forced those thoughts out of her mind. There was no way she could do that.

Instead, she moved her hands away from his and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. She felt Crona soon return the gesture, resting his head on her shoulder.

Though his words meant so much to her, Maka couldn't help but feel a little hurt at the implications. She knew that he viewed her as this incredibly strong person, when there was so much lingering on her mind that could destroy her if she let it. And that he viewed himself as this weak, scared child, when there was so much more to him than that.

She knew she had to do something.

"Crona…" Maka whispered. "There was something you said earlier that was wrong."

Crona pulled away slightly, look at Maka in surprise. "W-What?"

Maka smiled, gently placing a hand under his chin.

"The part where you said you were weak."

Crona blinked, face flushing slightly.

"I know you don't think you're strong…but trust me, you are." Maka continued. "It's just a different kind of strength. It's the kind that you only show when you absolutely need to. You don't flaunt it around, but it's still there. …I think I like that kind of strength better."

Crona looked away, a small smile on his face. The smile quickly vanished when something else surfaced in his mind.

_Maybe you don't flaunt your knightness or anything, but a real knight shouldn't have to. He doesn't show that he is a knight, he just __is__ one. He protects what he cares about, he does the necessary brave deeds, and he doesn't worry about what others think or whether or not he looks like a knight. So long as what's important to him is safe, he can be happy._

Crona's face grew even hotter as that memory returned. He had almost forgotten about it, about how Maka had told him how she viewed him. But she wasn't herself then…but now the normal Maka was saying pretty much the same thing.

"Crona?" Maka offered. "Is everything OK?"

Crona turned to look at Maka, allowing a smile to come over his face.

"…thank you, Maka. …it really means a lot for you to say that to me…"

Maka smiled back, then pulled Crona back into the hug, which Crona eagerly returned.

As the two held one another, Crona remembered the promise that he had made to himself. With newfound confidence, he made another vow.

_I will beat this. I will get better._ he thought. _I will be her knight._

/

And we are done!

So I hope you all enjoyed that nice story! It was a lot of work, but I think the end result was a good one!

Review's coming soon, so I'll see you all then!


	27. Story 11: Don't Read This

Alright! I hope you guys enjoyed that long side story, but now it's back to what you guys came for: a review.

As I mentioned in the main fic, I'm hoping that you guys will start sending in shorter fics for me to review from now on. Not that I'll never, ever review a longer fic ever again, but I can't burn myself out on multi-part reviews all the time. If the fic I get is really bad, length won't matter, but I'd prefer them to be shorter from now on, please and thank you.

Also, I'm still looking for Halloween fics for the main fic, as in bad horror-themed or scary fics. I have a couple I'm looking at already, but I can always use more choices.

Anyway, today's story comes recommended by Roving Otter. Yeah, that's right, Roving Otter reads this. How's that for some street cred? I would normally say the expected "know who to thank/blame depending on what you think" spiel here, but…there is simply no way you can disagree with Otter's choice. You just can't. It's that bad. You'll see.

I'd tell you to get ready, but…it won't help. Let's just go.

/

The theater had a tendency to make the participants ask a lot of questions. About themselves, their status in the world as a whole, how the worlds were brought together, _why_ they were being brought together, who The Host was, and so forth.

But some of the questions were a bit more personal than that. And one of those questions was running through Crona's mind a lot lately. That question being:

_Why do I keep coming back?_

It seemed as though he had no real reason for returning to the theater over and over, yet he did so anyway. He sometimes wondered if he was secretly a masochist, what with the sheer amount of torture that he went through whenever he went there.

Some part of his brain felt a strange obligation to return over and over again. Like it was a job, except he wasn't getting paid for it or rewarded in any way. At first, he suspected that The Host had a hand in it, doing something to his mind to make him keep coming back. But after actually talking to The Host, he realized that there was a limit to his power. He didn't know what that limit was, and it didn't eliminate the possibility that he was behind it, but it did cast some doubt on the theory.

There was also the possibility that Crona could easily be replaced if he left. That someone else could be brought in and have to go through everything he went through. The Host had said as much when he spoke to him. And that wasn't at all fair to them. No one deserved to go through what he went through. The Host had picked him, and whether he liked it or not, he had to stay.

Besides, it hadn't been all bad. If not for the theater, he never would've made his new friends, and Crona knew he would've regretted that. And that was also partially why he kept coming back, to stay in touch with them.

But now he was wondering why he had to come back for this one session in particular.

To say that he had had a rough week would be a vast understatement. It was one of the most tiring experiences of his life, both physically and emotionally. The Host probably would've understood if Crona decided to take a session off to recover, so why didn't he try to do that?

Crona concluded that he _had_ to come back this time, for his own sake. He had promised himself that he would conquer this problem of his, and the theater had been a main source of his stress for a long time now. If he was going to overcome his anger problem, he had to face the theater, the story, and by extension, some of his fans, head on.

After all, that's what Maka would've done.

"So…" Maka started, stretching as they walked down the stairs to the front row. "What do you think we're going to be stuck with today?"

Crona shrugged. "I can't even begin to guess…"

Maka placed a finger under her chin, humming slightly as she thought. She then placed her hands together in front of her, an overdramatic sad look on her face.

"Maybe we'll get one where Medusa was just _misunderstood_, and that she wasn't actually the psychotic monster that we all that thought she was!"

Crona couldn't help but smirk a little at the stupidity of the concept. "S-Sadly, I think that's actually happened…"

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know…just a gut feeling…"

Maka frowned, wondering if she'd gone a little far. She quickly came up with another idea, hoping it'd make up for it.

"Or maybe, through some convoluted mishmash of stupidity, we'll have to go to…_normal high school_!" she exclaimed, before placing the back of her hand on her forehead. "Oh, the drama! The trauma! …and the other drama!"

Crona started to snicker, placing a hand over his mouth to contain his laughs.

"O-OK…" he replied, his voice muffled by his hand. "I-I know that one's been done before…"

Maka grinned. "Well, that only makes it even more likely that we'll have to do it, won't it? Hope you're ready for the exciting stories of…studying for the big test! And who's going to ask who to the dance? And let's not forget the big sports game that everyone will care about!"

Crona's gave another few snickers, moving his hand away and wiping at his eye.

"I-I'm actually wondering why we haven't had more crossovers…" he said as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, I've been wondering that too…" Maka replied. "You'd think there'd be a Maximum Ride crossover by now, if it pops up as much as you've told me it does."

"Yeah…and let's not forget all the big series that we've probably crossed over with already…like Fullmetal Alchemist, DragonBall Z, Naruto…"

Maka gave a loud "bleh", grimacing at the concept. "That's all I need…to hang out with more than one Black*Star…"

She then sighed as the two of them took their seats.

"But, knowing our luck, it'll either be another story with you and Kid, or one with me and Soul."

Crona shuddered involuntarily. "J-Just as long as nothing like last time happens…"

"Oh, I'm sure it won't…no way anyone would be so stupid as to do…_that_ again."

Crona turned and stared at Maka for a few seconds, his face expressionless.

"…is it sad that I sort of wanted to believe that?" Maka asked.

"N-Not really…" Crona replied.

Suddenly, that all-too familiar _splortch_ rang out, as Ragnarok emerged from Crona's back. He crossed his arms and glared down at Crona, already annoyed.

"Does it really make any fucking difference? We already know how it's gonna turn out. It's gonna be total crap, we're going to question the author's sanity, if we're lucky we'll find something to laugh at, but in the end we'll just-"

"_MAKA CHOP_!"

Ragnarok let out a yell of combined surprise and pain, holding his now dented head. He whipped around and glared at Maka.

"_What the fuck was that for_?"

Maka grinned, holding her book up. "Just consider it my little way of saying "welcome back"."

"Oh, yeah, I'm feeling very fucking welcomed right now! Yeah, I got that warm fuzzy feeling inside, alright!"

"You say that as though you've actually felt that before."

"Well, getting clobbered on the skull for no good reason has introduced the feeling to my blackened heart!"

"…you have a heart?"

"I could ask _you_ the same thing, you friggin' psycho!"

"Aw, it was just a little tap. I was practically showing you affection."

"If _that's_ how you show affection, how come the rest of your buddies don't have dents in their heads?"

"You're a special case."

"Hah! The only "special" one here is-"

Ragnarok stopped when he heard what distinctly sounded like laughter coming from Crona. Small, quiet laughter, but laughter nonetheless. Both Maka and Ragnarok looked at him in confusion.

"…the fuck are you laughing at?" Ragnarok asked.

"W-Well…it's weird, but…" Crona started, before smiling at the both of them. "I missed this…it makes me feel like things are normal again…"

Maka stared at Crona in slight surprise, but smiled back. Ragnarok, however, grabbed Crona's head and tilted it up.

"Did you start drinking tree sap every morning or something? I swear, you were not this girly a month ago!"

"_Hey_." Maka warned, poking Ragnarok's back. "Watch it, mister."

"Oh whatever! You're gonna chop me no matter what, so what's the point in warning me?"

"Well, you could always reduce the number of chops you get…"

Crona decided it'd be best to move on, and grabbed his first fanmail letter.

_Crona: Im not going to drop this whole you becomeing a docter thing because if nothing else your anime counter part proved beyond a doubt you make one hell of a Badass Labcoat_

"I-I'm still thinking about it…it's a lot to consider…"

_Maka: If you were going to lose your ability to use a wepon and become one who would you whant to be your miester Note You can choose what kind of wepon you will become to fit your choice's fighting style_

"Well, the anime has apparently already chosen which weapon I would be…not that it matters, since I don't have the slightest clue who could be my meister."

She then paused, getting the odd impression that someone was staring at her.

"…Crona, do you even know if you could use two weapons at once?" she asked.

Crona flushed, looking down at his feet. "W-Well…I-I could try…"

Maka sighed, shaking her head with a smile on her face, before choosing to open the next letter.

_Maka: What would happen if Spirit died?_

Maka sighed. "Why do you have to ask such a stupid question? I may not necessarily like him, but he's still my dad. Obviously I'd be upset."

_Crona: I think that you should do drastic measures to bring out Ragnarok. As in you must get a close friend to stab you in the back repeatedly until Ragnarok comes out to try and stop them. Have you thought of that?_

Crona frowned. "…that's not a very subtle way of telling me you want me to die."

"You expect subtlety from these people, Crona?" Maka asked.

"…good point."

_Ragnarok: If you're Crona's blood then aren't you able to take control of his body using it? It's what they did in Avatar the Last Airbender?_

"Well, I couldn't do it before…" Ragnarok started, before rubbing his hands together. "But now that I've got some souls in me…"

Crona looked up at Ragnarok, eyes wide with fear. "R-Ragnarok, please-"

"Oh, shut up. I'm just going to see if I can."

Ragnarok then shut his eyes, scrunching his face in concentration.

"Just give me a few seconds…maybe I can move a finger or-"

_WHAP_!

It was then that Crona's arm suddenly swung up, the back of his hand smacking Ragnarok in the face. He gave a shout of surprise and pain, before glaring down at Crona.

"You son of a bitch, _what was that for_?"

"Th-That wasn't me! Y-You must've moved it!"

Ragnarok then grabbed a couple of handfuls of Crona's hair and started pulling.

"You know that that was all you, you lying sack of shit!"

"Owowowowow!"

"_MAKA CHOP_!"

Ragnarok let out another cry of pain, holding his head while glaring at Maka. He then glared down at Crona.

"_This_ is why you wanted me to come back? You enjoy torturing me, don't you?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about! Th-That was you! You moved my arm!"

"You are the worst liar in the world!"

"_Moving on_!" Maka shouted, grabbing the next letter.

_MAKA:Cronas terrible do ya know that letter he toer up last time he did that cuz i was calling him out on what he was doing hes been telling raven subarashi that you to are a couple AND that youv gone alllll the way i felt i had to warn you as one girl to another you deserve way better_

Maka stared at the letter for a few seconds, before squinting and looking it over again. She then looked up at the screen.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Crona sighed. "Not _her_ again…"

"You know this one?" Maka asked.

"Yeah…she sent a letter in when I was with the others, saying pretty much the same thing, except that I had told you Raven and I were a couple…"

Maka stared at Crona for a few seconds, before a smirk came over her face. "Seriously?"

"Yeah…"

Maka sighed, crumpling the letter and tossing it aside.

"Honestly, how stupid do people think I am?"

She shook her head before grabbing the next letter and opening it.

_Dear Maka, Whenever you and Soul hunt Kishin eggs, their bodies disappear, right? Would a person's body disappear if they died naturally?_

"Well, if Sid's anything to go by…"

"But he didn't really die naturally…" Crona explained. "Falling and impaling your head on something isn't a natural death…"

"Yeah, that's true…but still, I have this theory that Sid isn't actually in his old body. That Professor Stein made an artificial body and put Sid's soul in it. I mean, his facial structure is pretty different from when he was alive…"

"He hasn't said anything about that…but what would he have made the artificial body from…?"

Maka and Crona stared at one another for a second, before Maka sighed.

"This is a lot harder to figure out than it should be…"

"Y-Yeah…"

_Dear Crona, Since you keep reminding us, I understand that what you wear is a robe, but what about that cute little outfit you wore when you were small? Was that a robe too?_

Crona flushed. "L-Let's not talk about that…"

Maka sighed as she gently wrapped an arm around Crona's shoulders. "Crona, you know it wouldn't matter, right?"

"H-Huh?"

Maka smiled. "You could walk around wearing a giant chipmunk mascot outfit, and it wouldn't change anything. You'd still be you."

Crona flushed slightly, letting a smile appear on his face. "I-I guess…b-but I'd still look pretty silly…"

Maka giggled, squeezing Crona a bit before opening the next letter.

_Maka: Are you considering writing a book? If so, what genera?_

"No, I'm not actually. I might in the future, but right now I don't see myself doing it. As much as I like to read, sitting down and writing a book seems like too much work."

_Crona: Can't you force Ragnarok out of yer back? Or even conjure him as a sword? Is he dead?_

"No, he's here…"

Maka glared up at Ragnarok, crossing her arms. "You never did explain why you were gone for so long."

Ragnarok snorted, imitating Maka's movements. "Maybe I just got sick of having to see you 24/7."

Rather than wait for the argument to escalate, Crona grabbed the next letter off of the pile.

_Maka:_

_Which movie you think is the scariest? The nightmare on elm street(1984 original) or Halloween(1978 orignal)._

"Out of the two? Halloween. Nightmare was pretty creepy and nasty, but Halloween was just generally scarier. It wasn't up in your face with the horror like most movies these days. It was a lot more low-key and quiet, and that made it all the scarier."

_Have you ever racist person during your missions? If so how did you deal with that person?._

"Most of the time we just ignored them. At least, if Soul didn't get annoyed and smack them around a bit."

_Crona:_

_what is the most creepiest moments you evered faced?_

"…we'd be here all day if I listed them all…"

_Since witches are immortal does that mean your hundreds of years old then?_

"J-Just because my mother was a witch doesn't mean I am…"

_Crona&Maka:_

_If you ever hed the chance to interview a character from another anime who would it be?_

Maka shrugged. "Couldn't even begin to tell you. Considering how many animes are out there, picking just one would take a while."

She then grabbed the next letter. "Though if more guest stars show up, outside of our world, we might wind up talking to one of them anyway."

Crona frowned. "Do you think The Host would bring someone from another world here when it's just us…?"

"I don't see any reason why he wouldn't."

_Maka:_

_Do meisters have a specific type they specialize with?.Am asking this because in the manga Steins first weapon was a sycthe then later in the story it shows that he can also be a hammer meister._

"Well, it sort of depends on the meister. I trained specifically in scythes because that's what my mother used, but Black*Star trained with a number of different weapons, which is why he wound up with a Dark Arm in Tsubaki. But some people don't train at all, and only start practicing with a specific weapon after they meet their partner. Not the fastest way to make a Death Scythe, but it is easier to find a partner that way."

Maka then frowned, grabbing her next letter. "Professor Stein is a special case, though…"

_Maka, what was one of your most embarassing moments?_

"…do you really think I'm going to give these people more things to hold over my head?"

_Crona, do you have frequent nightmares? And if so, does anyone comfort you afterward?_

"…pass."

Maka frowned, then reached over and wrapped her arms around Crona, pulling him close. Crona blinked, face already blushing.

"Crona, you know you can talk to me about these things, right?"

"…would you really want me to tell you every single nightmare that I ever have…?"

"Frankly, yes I would."

Crona blinked in surprise, turning to look at Maka. Maka simply gave him a warm, comforting smile, which only made Crona's blush get brighter.

"…O-OK…" he whispered.

Maka's smile widened, and she gave him a quick squeeze before opening the next letter.

_Crona: I think you should try being a doctor! If you pinch you pennies, make Ragnarok a Death-Scythe, and get a good job as a doctor you could have that million you wanted for that house AND have enough to go to Europe and Japan! GO FOR THE GOLD!_

"Wait, what's all this about you wanting a million for a house?" Maka asked.

Crona flushed. "I-It was j-just an idea, that's all! I-I was just thinking…you know…me having my own place…later on…"

Maka tilted her head in confusion. "OK…but you don't need a million dollars for your own house, Crona."

"I don't?" he asked, before Ragnarok suddenly leaned forward and glared at Maka.

"Would you _shut up_? The last thing he needs is more ideas put into his head!"

Maka stared at Ragnarok, her confusion only growing, before she gave up and continued reading the letter.

_Maka: What was your first mission with Soul like? Was it filled with awkward conversations? Were you at each other's necks? What was the pre-kishin like?_

Maka sighed. "I'll admit, we didn't exactly get along perfectly from day one. We did squabble a bit, but nothing different from how we normally act. And the pre-Kishin…he wasn't anything special. Sad Psycho Norman Bates was pretty much just a guy wearing a dress and swinging a knife around. Child's play."

She blinked as she grabbed the next letter. "…why are all of my pre-Kishins based on horror movie villains?"

Crona shrugged. "Our creator's thing for referencing things…?"

"OK, yeah, but why horror movie villains?"

_Ragnarok im so glad yer back this show had NO sex apeel with out you and it was so amazeing how tottaly wiped the floor with that pussy dracula your just so great and HOT ! seiriusly i just love you glad your back xxx_

Both Crona and Maka looked at the letter in equal parts shock and disgust. They then slowly looked up at Ragnarok, who looked as though he was about to start throwing up.

"…well, congratulations Ragnarok." Maka quipped. "You officially have a stalker."

Ragnarok looked at Maka for a second, then dove back into Crona's body without another word.

Crona sighed. "Well, I'm probably going to have to convince him to come back out again…"

He then grabbed the last letter and opened it.

_Crona:_

_Do you have multiple robes, all exactly the same, or do you just wear the same one all the time?_

"N-No, it's the same one, so I have to wash it a lot…" Crona replied, before blushing. "I-I guess I really do need some other clothes…"

_Do you like Classical music?_

"Y-Yes, very much, actually…"

_Can Ragnarok only come out of you back and chest?_

"No, but those are the safest places…he tried coming out of my head once…all the blood rushing up there made me dizzy…"

_Do you like horror movies?_

"N-No, I d-don't…"

_What's your favorite breakfast food?_

"…French toast…"

Maka blinked, then sighed. "Oh, come on Crona. Mine wasn't _that_ good."

"Was so…"

Maka shook her head, before pointing at Crona, a smile on her face.

"You, sir, are shameless in your flattery. _Shameless_, I say."

Crona chuckled slightly, a blush growing on his face while doing so.

_Maka:_

_Ever tried scones?_

"I did a couple of times. They weren't bad."

_Have you always worn your hair in pigtails?_

"For the most part. I tried wearing it in a ponytail when I was younger, but the pigtails just worked better."

Crona flushed, trying as hard as possible to not think of Maka with a ponytail.

_Is there anywhee you'd love to vacation?_

"Oh, plenty of places. But I hear the Bahamas are pretty nice right now."

_Have you ever had any pets?_

"Besides Blair, nope."

_Do Blair ask to live with you or did she just randomly show up one day?_

"She pretty much just showed up at our doorstep, and that was the end of it. She was going to show up regardless of what we did, so we figured it'd just be easier to let her move in."

Maka then got out of her seat and started walking to the table. "Not that that was a bad thing or anything. I'm glad Blair's living with us and all…even if she does have a tendency to cause trouble."

She grabbed the envelope off of the table and opened it, reading the contents inside.

_I feel that it is only fair to warn you about the story you are set to review today. I would fully expect you to hate me after this, even more than I'm sure you already do. Nonetheless, if there is any story that needs to be used as an example of how horrible fanfiction can be, it's this one._

_I must tell you this: it is almost as bad as "that" story. I'm sure you know which I am referring to. I am not exaggerating in any sense, as you will soon discover for yourselves._

_It is called Please Don't Read This Death The Kid, by WishIWasSane102._

_Prepare yourselves for the worst._

Maka frowned, walking back to her seat with the letter in her hand. _Almost as bad as "that" story? Well, that doesn't say a lot. Most of the stories we've read here were pretty bad. All of the ones we read with the guest stars were bad in their own ways. So what could he mean?_

She sat down in her seat and turned to look at Crona. She blinked in surprise when she saw the look of absolute fear on his face.

"Crona…?"

"…th-there's no way…i-it couldn't be…"

He slowly turned to look at Maka, his hands shaking.

"M-Maka…you don't think…did he mean…?"

Maka frowned, wondering what Crona could've meant. Her own eyes widened as it dawned on her what he was talking about.

"…no. No no no." Maka firmly replied. "There is no way. No one could've written anything like that. It's just flat out impossible. That…that was bad on a level that no one can touch."

She stopped, looking back at the letter. She then looked up at Crona again.

"…right?"

Before either of them could think any further, the lights dimmed and the horror show began.

/

**Please Do Not Read This Death the Kid**

_**Chapter One**_

Crona: …normally, I'd be glad that there aren't any author's notes, but now, I don't know…

Maka: Why?

Crona: Just a bad feeling that it means the author might actually be trying with this…

Maka: …that's bad?

Crona: If this is anything like I think it is…

**The young Shinigami held his breath as he opened the last box. He had just moved into a new apartment in New York City and was almost finished unpacking.**

**He needed to open one more box marked 'school days'. But he didn't want to go anywhere near his days in Shibusen. Not that they were bad, they were just…time consuming.**

Maka: …"time consuming"? What, is reminiscing that much of a time killer for you?

**Taking it like the big college student he was, Kid peered into the box. Pictures, letters, and books stared back at him.**

**He picked up the first photo that caught his eye, the one of them all together.**

**Black Star, Tsubaki, Maka, Soul, Liz, Patty and…**

**Her…**

**Chrona.**

Maka: *sighs, facepalms* Here we go…

**He looked closer to see her face clearer. She looked so very uncomfortable.**

**And he loved it.**

**He loved how she was always awkward and shy. He loved how she always stuttered and mumbled.**

**But he hated how he would most likely never see her again.**

Crona: *sighs* Please tell me it's just him moping about how we…I mean, him and her, never got together…please tell me it won't go further than that…

**He didn't need this right now. Today he was going in for a job interview.**

**However, he had time so he continued looking inside the box. At the bottom, he felt a book with a leather cover. He pulled it out and his head flooded with memories.**

**It was an assignment for Sid's class. He paired kids up into groups of two. They had to keep journals and switch them with each other every week.**

**Kid had no idea why. Journals were supposed to be private…right?**

Crona: I'm pretty sure that _is_ the idea…so why would Sid make us do that…?

**Sid said it would help us understand each other better. 'It'll help in battle' he said.**

Crona: …invading one another's privacy will help in battle?

Maka: *shakes head* That is just mind-numbingly stupid…

**But if it said ****DO NOT READ ****you weren't to read the entry.**

**He ran his fingers over the cover and smiled. His partner was Chrona. He remembered how almost every entry said ****Please Don't Read**** in that chicken scratch he loved.**

Crona: …could you blame me…?

_**'Well, it was when they were in high school. And we did go our separate ways…'**_

**He glanced at his watch. He'd be late if he didn't hurry. Grabbing the book, he ran out to catch his train.**

Maka: *thumbs-up* Way to show that respect for privacy, Kid.

**PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS DEATH THE KID**

_**September 15**_

**I really hope you're not reading this. Sid said that if it said don't read you aren't supposed to read. I even said 'please.'**

**Anyways, I feel awful. I did something really bad. Something that is tearing me up inside. I stole Lady Medusa's perfume.**

Crona: …wait, what?

Maka: …OK, so?

Crona: But she never wore perfume…no, wait, I think she might've one time, before the ball…but I have no idea why…

Maka: Well, she did go dancing with Professor Stein then-

Crona: N-Never mind, I r-really don't want to know…

**Maybe that seems lame, but I stole it for someone.**

**Maka Albarn.**

Crona: …wait, _what_?

Maka: Why in the world would I want anything from _her_?

**Everyone assumed I'm such great friends with her.**

Both: _Because we are_.

Maka: …wait…oh God, this is going where I think it's going, isn't it?

Crona: I really, really, _really_ hope not…

**Well, I was. In the beginning.**

**After I got in trouble for putting snakes in Stein's body, she changed.**

Maka: *facepalm* Just fan-fucking-tastic…

**Everyone else had forgiven me, even the Professor. But I guess some part of her hates me. In front of everyone, she was all smiles. When were alone, it was a different story.**

**She'd boss me around and if I refused, she'd make me feel extremely guilty. Today she made me steal the perfume. She says it'll make us even.**

**I know it's a total lie.**

Maka: OK, hold on for a second…now, I'm going to assume this is the anime continuity, since that's apparently all you people use to write. In that case, need I remind you that _I'm_ the one who found him? That _I'm_ the one who brought him back and forgave him? Where in anything that happened in that scene told you that I secretly hated him? Here's a clue: _there wasn't_! It would take a lot, and I mean _a lot_, for me to truly hate any of my friends, much less Crona!

Crona: …*blush*

**That entry weighed on Kid's mind heavily until he heard his name.**

**"Are you ready?"**

**Kid sniffed.**

**"Ready as I'll ever be."**

Crona: Wish I could say the same…

Maka: Likewise.

**A/N Hope you enjoyed. More to come so review please !**

Maka: I would've needed to suffer brain damage the likes of which have never been seen before to have enjoyed this. You need help, and I honestly wish we could just stop right now, because it's blatantly clear it's just going to go further downhill from here.

**Please Do Not Read This Death the Kid**

_**Chapter Two**_

Maka: This should really just be called "Don't Read This Anyone", because that's the most accurate way I can describe how terrible this fic is.

Crona: People would probably still read, if only out of curiosity…

**Kid walked into the bright white room. An elderly man behind a desk looked at behind big black spectacles.**

**"Take a seat," he said motioning to the seat in front of him.**

**Nodding, Kid took the seat gracefully.**

**"My name is Robert Freeman… And you are…"**

**"Um Death The Kid sir," he said extending his right arm.**

Maka: *singing* One of these things is not like the others…

**Mr. Freeman shook it and stretched back.**

**"So Kid… do you have your papers present?" he asked.**

**"I do not need papers,"**

Maka: "Papers? We don't need no stinking papers!"

**Kid answered slyly, "I just enjoy helping people. Isn't that enough?"**

**Mr. Freeman chuckled.**

**"Oh young man I wish it was. Now seriously where are your papers?" he repeated.**

**The young Shinigami leaned in so that he and his future boss were almost nose to nose.**

**"I told you. I don't need papers," he said.**

**"If you want to be a receptionist at a hospital, I need to see proof that you're qualified!" the man said flabbergasted.**

Crona: …yeah, Kid, he has a point. Those are kind of important…

**This time, Kid chuckled and opened up his jacket. Freeman flinched, but eased up when he saw the young man was just pulling out a small black card.**

**Slowly, Kid slid the card across the table. Freeman eyes it curiously and Kid almost laughed out loud when he saw his eyes bulge. The man jumped up and Kid followed suit. Out of habit, Kid held his hand out again. Mr. Freeman shook it furiously.**

**"I-I'll see what I can do Mr. Shinigami!" he cried.**

**"Make it soon please," Kid smiled, grabbed his book bag and left.**

Maka: So, you're going to let an unqualified college student be a receptionist at your hospital just because he's the son of Lord Death?

Crona: And if that's all you needed, wouldn't the fact that his name is _Death_ the Kid have been enough? He doesn't just use that because it sounds cool…

**"42 42 564 whenever you want to knock on Death's door," Kid chanted into his bedroom mirror.**

Maka: You don't actually _have_ to say that, you know.

**"Hiya Kid!" his father cried childishly.**

**"Hello Father."**

**"Watsup Watsup! Did you get the job at the hospital?" he asked.**

**Kid smirked, "Using your card, there was no way in Hell the guy could have refused."**

Maka: Abusing power. *thumbs-up* Fun for the whole family!

**Lord Death laughed out loud.**

**"Excellent, excellent! I'm so proud of you. And you look like you're doing okay for yourself," he said.**

Crona: Good to know Lord Death approves of said abuse of power…

**He nodded.**

**His Father got solemn then. "You know Kid. You can always come home. Back where you belong."**

**He shook his head no.**

**"You don't understand Father. I need to be here. I felt like I had to move on. I wasn't going to stay with you forever," he said with a shrug.**

**"I understand. Man, I think this is what Spirit was talking about," He said.**

**"What did Spirit say?"**

**"Well he said that once your child leaves, you feel empty and void in your chest. But I have a feeling he'll get over it," he said.**

**Kid was alert. "So that means…Maka left Death City?"**

**"Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you, Maka left Death City!"**

Both: *facepalm*

Maka: Yeah, I think we figured that out, thank you…

**Kid frowned. That would have been very good to know earlier.**

**"Where was she headed?" he asked.**

**"Everywhere. She wants to see the world. Maybe she'll stop by your way one day."**

**Kid faked a smile. "Yes. I will call you later Father."**

**And the mirror went blank again. Kid held his chest which was now beating a thousand times a minute. There was no way he'd be able to see Maka without killing her. She'd hurt Chrona…**

Crona: Then it _wasn't Maka_. It was her evil twin, or a witch disguised as her, or something! This should be obvious! Kid, I am trying very hard to keep calm right now, but your utter stupidity to what's supposed to be blatantly clear is _making that very difficult_.

**His eyes wandered to the couch where the leather booklet lay. He took a deep breath and continued where he left off earlier.**

_**Sept. 20**_

Crona: …what do you think Kid wrote about, anyway?

Maka: "Dear Journal: I'm a friggin' idiot trapped in a world by an even more idiotic author who is going out of their way to destroy a friendship just to make themselves happy. Also, symmetry is great."

**PLEASE DON'T READ THIS DEATH THE KID**

_**So it has been done. Lady Medusa is no more.**_

_**You'd think I'd be happy, Journal, but I'm in mourning.**_

_**She may have been an evil spirited witch, but that evil spirited witch is…Was my mom.**_

Crona: Let's not even go there…

_**It's funny. The person who hates my guts killed my mother. And she couldn't be prouder. I mean Stein and Marie helped a bit but it was mostly Maka…**_

Maka: OK, just in case it wasn't made clear already…it is _impossible_ for me to hate Crona. Like, it is literally impossible. It cannot be done. And apparently this author knows it too, because they seem to be going out of their way to not explain why this is happening!

Crona: Just wait…it'll be something insanely stupid, like before…

_**I don't understand why I can't bring myself to tell anyone how I feel. Maybe it is because….**_

Crona: Because this could never actually happen and everyone involved in this mess is an idiot for even thinking that it could! 

*Crona stops, then takes a deep breath*

Maka: …Crona?

Crona: I'm OK…I'm calm…I'm fine…I'm OK…

**There is a big wet stain and the page then she continued to write.**

_**Maybe it's because I'm scared that they won't believe what I say. I mean who would you believe? Straight A student Maka Albarn who just killed Shibusen's worst enemy… OR Me. The traitor.**_

_**Sorry but I'm afraid I have to cut this short…. Maka is calling e again… And I think she means business**_

Maka: I never took you as the type to be very business-savvy, Crona.

Crona: That's probably because I'm not…

**Kid closed the notebook again and gripped the ends of the notebook. He couldn't believe he didn't even try to help her. What kind of person was he?**

Maka: …you know, I take it back. Kid isn't an idiot. No one could be expected to think that this was going on. …and the reason for that is that _it would never actually happen, you fucking imbeciles_!

**A/N REEEAAALLLLLY Short but I had to cut it short to add the ... suspense? Lols . Plus its vacation so I have to rush all of these things**

Maka: Here's a plan: Why not take a permanent vacation? As in, from this. As in, stop writing. Or, you can interpret that as me telling you to kill yourself, because really, either option would make me happy!

**Please Do Not Read This Death the Kid**

**A/N Its been a while, but I must again kill you guys with ANOTHER painfully short chappie**

Maka: Oh gee, poor us. The chapter is short. How awful.

Crona: Though I have to admit, "killing us" is an appropriate metaphor right now…

***shot***

Both: HOORAY!

**Well it wasn't my fault. I thought I wrote a bunch until I typed the whole thing out :-[**

Maka: Stop talking and go back to being dead.

_**Chapter Three**_

**He named it the 'Devil's Notebook.' There are no words to describe how awful you feel reading about your love being harassed. And there is nothing you can do about it.**

Both: …

**He crashed on the couch later that evening. It was extremely odd…**

_**"Chrrooonnnaaa!"**_

_**She shoots up, her body and clothes drenched in sweat. She is clutching her faded sheets in her hand and is frozen with fear.**_

Crona: Wait, what's going on…?

Maka: …how can he be having a dream sequence about something he didn't actually read?

_**"H-hello?" she calls.**_

_**A figure steps out. It is vaguely Familiar until the point it begins to speak again.**_

_**"Ah, you're awake."**_

_**Maka.**_

_**"Oh… Hello M-Maka," she stutters.**_

_**She steps into the room clicking her tongue.**_

_**"Why do you seem so afraid?" she asks.**_

_**"I'm not!" Chrona squawked.**_

Crona: …"squawked"? What, did I-…I mean she, turn into a parrot overnight?

Maka: I can safely say it'd be the first time I saw a pink parrot.

_**Maka cracks her knuckles. Her voice lowers an octave as she says, "Don't raise your voice at me you ugly bitch."**_

Maka: _Excuse me_?

_**Chrona begins to shake. When Maka cussed, she was serious. N-no! She wasn't going to be treated like a pig anymore!**_

_**"I am not ugly! And… And I'll do what I want!" she says rather loudly, and her voice cracks.**_

_**Her green eyes go dark.**_

_**"Are you talking back, pig?" she says.**_

_**"You…You're the pig,"**_

_**The brunette twitches and pulls her fist back.**_

_**The world goes black.**_

Maka: …what.

Crona: *hits his tray with his fist, causing it to fall to the floor in pieces*

Maka: …Crona…?

Crona: *heavy breathing* I…am…OK…I…am…calm…I…am…in…control…and I am about ten seconds away from _tearing this author's lungs out_!

Maka: …I'll help…?

**Kid shot up and touched his left eye. It felt as if HE were Chrona. It felt so life-like.**

**He gets up shakily to find the book.**

**He goes to the next date, October 1st.**

**"No way…" he whispered a loud. What he had just dreamt, was what that journal entry was about.**

Maka: Again, how is this happening?

**Kid remembered the day after that.**

**"What happened?" he had asked.**

**"Huh? What do you mean?" she answered.**

**He reached out and smeared the makeup off of her eye, revealing a blue-ish purple-ish color.**

**"Your eye. I can see behind that makeup Chrona," he said.**

**"Oh that. I just… ya know…"**

**"She rammed into a wall last night," Maka butted in.**

**He glanced at Chrona and who began nodding furiously.**

**Why did he believe her?**

Maka: …I take it back again. If Kid actually believed one of the most overused excuses for a black eye, he's a gigantic idiot.

**The sound of his ringing phone brought him out of his flashback. Slowly, he reached for it. The phone read 'Private'. Normally he'd let it ring, but he snatched it off the dock.**

**"Hello?" he asked.**

**The person on the other end shrieked.**

**"Kid! Omigosh, hey!"**

**The Shinigami dropped the telephone.**

Maka: Well, looks like one of his fangirls found his phone number.

Crona: …wait, we use mirrors to communicate. What's Kid doing with a regular phone…?

Maka: …I figured you'd jump on the fangirl comment over the inconsistency.

Crona: Definitely not in the mood to do that…

**Please Do Not Read This Death the Kid**

**A/N Um …. Akward …. IM SORRRRYYY ! Next chapter AFTER LIKE 5 YEARS !**

Maka: That's probably a sign that you should just stop. If the fact that your work is godawful wasn't enough already!

_**Chapter Four**_

**He thought his heart stopped.**

**"Hello? Kid? You there?"**

**He hit the **_**end call **_**button on the phone. He felt his body crumple onto the couch. There's no way he could keep a conversation with that witch without going insane.**

Crona: What witch? …Kim? Angela? I'm not getting it.

Maka: Somehow, I get the feeling he wasn't being literal…

**The phone rang again. He glanced at it and threw a pillow at it to muffle the sound.**

_**XO**_

Maka: I fail to see how that's appropriate to the current situation.

Crona: …what? Is it another one of those…emoticons?

Maka: Yeah, actually.

Crona: *tilts head* …maybe it's trying to say this is going to kill us?

Maka: Sounds about right.

**She stared at the telephone in her hand. Maybe the call dropped...?**

**She sighed and placed her hand in her palms.**

**"Um… Maka?"**

**She glanced up.**

**The girl before her was beautiful. Her skin was softer than a rose, not a blemish anywhere. She had her pink hair tied back into a ponytail.**

Maka: Gee, I wonder who _this_ is supposed to be…

**She was a holding a small child, one that was a mirror of his mother and father.**

Maka: …oh goddammit, fic. You couldn't just skip that, could you?

**"What?" she snapped.**

**"Junior fell asleep. I thought you'd want to hold him a while before he wakes up," she said quietly.**

**Maka stood and yanked the baby out of Chrona's arms.**

Maka: Yeah, great parenting skills there, bitch.

**"I thought I told you not to hold him," she growled placing the baby in the crib.**

**Sweat began to break out on the poor girl's face. "Oh…Well, he fell asleep on the cold floor. And Soul isn't here so I thought…" she stopped when she saw Maka growing angrier.**

**"Just… leave. Leave before I change my mind about kicking your ass into next year," she said.**

Maka: That'll only happen if I somehow don't get to you first.

**She backed out of the room slowly.**

**"W-wait, Chrona," Maka said, toning her voice down a little.**

**"Yes?"**

**"Do you remember… Kid?" she asked.**

**"W-who?" she asked**

Maka: OK, it's kind of late to point this out…but why the hell is she still with her if she's _married_, and has treated her like shit all this time?

Crona: …considering who I lived with for most of my life…

Maka: That was because you didn't have a choice in the matter. Now you do. So it still doesn't make any sense.

**Maka smiled to herself. "Perfect. Now go into the basement. We have to run another test."**

Maka: …wait a second, what?

Crona: …no…she…she wouldn't actually…there's no way this author would…

_**XO**_

**PLEASE DON'T READ THIS DEATH THE KID**

Maka: …Crona? What's going on?

Crona: …this isn't happening…I am not seeing this…there's no way this is actually happening…

_**October 31**_

**It's Halloween today. Black*Star and Kid asked me if I wanted to go to a party with them. I really did. It hurt turning them down, but I couldn't go.**

**Why?**

**Maka said no.**

**She said she needed me. She was ****crying ****that she needed me! I couldn't believe it. She looked so vulnerable; I could've kicked her while she was down. But I didn't. Only Lord Death knows why. Everything that she's done to me flew out the window, and I embraced her.**

**I actually she believed she had changed.**

Maka: Crona? Crona, I don't understand! What's wrong?

Crona: She wouldn't…she would never…she never did, but everyone thinks she did…and this author wouldn't…she wouldn't even consider…

**But she didn't. Right after she calmed down, she tied me to a table. A cold table. She had ripped off my dress, leaving me naked and exposed. I didn't even recognize her and as soon as she grabbed that scalpel, memories of Mother flew into my mind. I glanced around the room. In the dim lighting, I saw Soul Eater.**

**He was looking at me. Right at me. But he didn't say a thing. I could see pain in his crimson eyes. What could he do? I mean, he loved Maka and was supposed to follow her with everything. But… The pain of the scalpel in my side.**

**Unbearable.**

**I can't even look at myself anymore. I'm what Black*Star usually calls Ox… A pussy…**

Both: *shocked silence*

**Kid glanced at his watch. Sighing, he pulled on his jacket. If he didn't get out of the apartment quickly, he'd be late for work.**

**A/N Again, Im reaaalllly Sorry for not updating for so long. But my friend has inspired me to continue. And if she's reading this, I hope she feels better.**

Maka: …I feel sick…

/

The lights turned back on and the show ended, but Maka and Crona couldn't stop looking at the screen. It seemed so unlikely that they would've ever seen something like that unfold before them, yet they did.

Maka was far too stunned to even decide how to react. To get angry, to be upset, to turn and comfort Crona, who had to have been going through the same thing she was going through…she wanted to do _something_, but she was still so shocked by what she saw.

Luckily, Crona made the decision for her.

She blinked when Crona suddenly got out of his seat, his head lowered and his face not visible. She could hear him breathing very heavily, and he was shaking violently. More than Maka had ever seen him shake, even when he was scared.

He slowly took a step forward. Then a second. Then a third. After a couple more, he stopped, standing directly in front of the screen. He was still shaking like a leaf.

When he spoke, even his voice shook.

"M-Maka…p-please…leave…"

Maka instinctively got to her feet, even though she had no idea why Crona had asked her to go. She didn't even want to leave, but something in Crona's voice was telling her that she should.

"Crona…" she started.

"Please, Maka…I…I don't want you to see this…"

It wasn't hard to figure out just what was going to happen. Especially considering Crona's shaking had somehow gotten worse.

Maka slowly turned to face the stairs, starting to shake a little as well.

"I…I'll wait for you outside…" she whispered.

Without waiting for an answer, she found herself running up the stairs and out the doors.

She collapsed against the wall beside the doors, slumping down and sitting on the floor. She put a hand over her mouth, breathing heavily, trying to calm herself down.

_Quit it._ she ordered herself. _You're being ridiculous. There is no way you would do that. You know that. You would NEVER hurt him like that. Stop it._

Her breathing slowly returned to normal, and she wiped at her mouth, still not sure what was going to happen.

She knew that she would never hurt Crona in that way, but now she couldn't help but wonder if someone else had. Or if someone else would. The image of him strapped down to a cold table, while someone loomed over him, eager to pick him apart and see what made him tick…it just couldn't leave her mind.

…_God, is this what he went through?_ Maka wondered. _When Soul raped me in that story? …no wonder it stuck with him for so long…_

She slowly reached up and held her arms, shivering slightly at the idea. It was such a horrible concept, and she had just witnessed it…and she had been the one to do it. For reasons she couldn't even begin to figure out.

_No, STOP. It wasn't you. It was NOT you. Stop that right now._

Two sounds brought Maka out of her thoughts. Two sounds that she was very familiar with.

One was Crona's vicious, unyielding roar. The other was Ragnarok's unique, banshee-like cry.

It wasn't long before she heard the first wave of energy hit the screen, going through and hitting the equipment behind it with a loud _SMASH_.

She heard another one go. And another. And yet another. Again and again, she could hear the energy waves fly out, crashing into the electrical equipment and completely obliterating it.

And with each wave, she heard Crona screaming. Over and over, again and again. Sometimes it was short, rapid shouts, and sometimes it descended into one long, continuous scream. She could sometimes hear him call the name of an attack, while other times he was saying something else. What, Maka couldn't exactly make out, his screaming far too loud and constant to make it possible for her to decipher.

She couldn't help but feel guilty for his current actions. Though she personally had done nothing wrong, she could figure out that his reactions were because of what the author had thought of her, not of him. It wasn't any different than any of the other times he had acted like this over the past week or so.

Still, at least he was only attacking inanimate objects. He'd get it out of his system and then things would be OK.

It was then that she heard the sound of breaking wood and stone.

She then heard it again, and a third time. On the fourth, she heard something fall down, and actually felt the ground shake beneath her. She looked at the doors, wondering just what Crona was doing in there.

Had he stopped attacking the screen? Was he attacking the walls now? The floor? The ceiling?

Was he trying to destroy the entire theater?

_Get up._ she told herself. _You have to get in there. He could be putting himself in danger._

Despite trying to tell herself that she had to move, her body wouldn't listen. She could hear Crona screaming more and more, destroying more in the room. He could've been about to bring the whole roof down on his head.

Then, just as she was about to try and force herself to move again, the screaming stopped. There was nothing coming out from the room but painfully long silence.

She was already starting to assume the worst. She thought she was too late. That Crona had already hurt himself, or worse.

She then heard Crona give out one last loud, furious scream. It wasn't much, but it was enough indication that he was alive.

She slowly forced herself to her feet, but didn't move any further. She could hear footsteps coming closer to the door, and she couldn't help but be worried.

One of the doors slowly opened, and Crona slipped out from behind it, the door swinging shut before Maka could see what had happened.

Later on, Maka would notice the dust and bits of debris on Crona's robe. But right then, all she could see was his face. The total lack of expression on it. The tiredness in his eyes. The fact that he was just staring straight ahead, seemingly not even realizing that she was there.

Maka carefully walked over and gently grasped his hand. She looked up at him, waiting to see what he would do.

All that happened was that she felt his hand squeeze hers.

It was all she needed. She pulled Crona along beside her and headed back home.

/

Epilogue

Maka was incredibly thankful that it was later in the day and that there weren't as many people hanging around the academy. She knew the image of her pulling Crona into his own room would've raised more than a few eyebrows, but she doubted she would've really cared. Her place was no good, since Soul or Blair could still walk in at any time. And they needed privacy, which Crona's room would provide.

It didn't help that the only piece of furniture in his room was his bed. Maka made a mental note to fix that in the future.

Crona was already sitting on the edge of his bed as Maka closed the door. She turned and walked over, sitting beside him, and trying to not think too much about the implications.

_Granted, he's been in my room and I've been in here before…so why does this feel so weird…?_ she wondered.

She quickly shoved those thoughts aside and turned to look at Crona. She had been expecting him to suddenly burst into tears at his actions, or frantically apologize, or try to give some explanation for it.

But instead, he just sat there, staring straight ahead, that blank expression still on his face.

Suffice to say, Maka did not like this.

She inched closer to him, before wrapping one of her arms around his shoulders and placing her other hand on his far cheek. She slowly pulled him closer, getting him to lean towards her and rest his head on her shoulder. She quietly laid her head on his, hoping that this would be enough to provoke some reaction out of him.

It took a few minutes, but soon enough, Crona slowly moved so that he was more comfortable, then wrapped his arms around Maka's middle, still resting on her shoulder.

The two sat there in silence, Maka thankful that at least some progress had been made. Still, she didn't like how quiet Crona was being. She realized that she would have to convince him to talk.

"…are you OK?" she whispered.

"No."

It was very blunt and honest. A part of Maka was glad that he was being honest, but the fact that he was so curt about it wasn't as good.

Before she could really think about it, she was asking the question that had been on her mind since the session ended.

"…Crona…did she ever-"

"No, she didn't." Crona answered. "…a lot of people think she did, but she didn't…not like that. It wasn't _efficient_…"

The amount of bitterness in Crona's voice surprised Maka, but she still got her answer. So if it wasn't memories, what was making Crona act like this?

"…look, Crona…" she started. "I'm not upset with you or anything. I don't blame you for reacting like that. If I wasn't so busy feeling like I was going to be sick, I probably would've reacted too."

Crona didn't move, or make any noises that he'd heard her.

"…Crona, there's nothing wrong with being mad at the author-"

"I'm not mad at the author."

That took Maka by surprise. "…you're not?"

"…well…not right now, anyway…"

Now Maka was getting confused. If it wasn't the author that set him off, who was it?

_No, wait, he said he wasn't mad at the author right now…that doesn't mean the author didn't set him off…_ she thought.

"…then…who are you mad at?" she asked.

The room grew quiet for a few seconds, before Crona said one word.

"Me."

Maka looked down at Crona, even more confused than before.

"…what do you mean?"

She heard Crona give a small sigh, before he started to explain.

"…the other day, you called me strong, Maka." he started. "But that it was a special kind of strong. The kind that only appeared when it was needed the most. Even then, you called me strong…and it meant so much to me that you would think so highly of me, Maka…"

Maka blushed slightly at the fact that Crona viewed her opinion as so important.

"And I want to prove you right…I want to make that be true…" he continued. "So, I told myself that I was going to get this under control…that I was going to stop being so angry at everything, that I wasn't going to freak out at the slightest problem…and I was actually starting to get it under control…"

Maka felt Crona tense up, his voice becoming rigid. "But then _this_ happened…that's all it takes. Just one person, saying those things about you…spreading _lies_ about you…"

Maka sighed. "Crona, you were the one who got hurt."

"I don't care."

"Well, _I_ do." she retorted, squeezing him tight. "Why do you think I asked you about it, Crona? I don't want that to ever happen to you…I can't let that happen…"

She felt Crona gently move closer to her, hugging her gently.

"Maka…" he muttered. "The author compared you to _her_…"

Maka blinked. _That was it? That was what set him off?_

"I've said it before: you're nothing like her. You're a hundred times better than she could ever hope to be. To even compare the two of you is an insult of an insane degree. …and that was all it took for me to lose it. To turn into…that…"

Little by little, Maka was starting to understand just why this was so important to Crona. She hated to admit it, but Crona had actually scared her a little when he fought Dracula. Not by much, but enough.

Maka knew what she had to ask next. She didn't want to, and she already knew the answer. But, it had to be said.

"Crona…" she started, holding him close. "Would you ever intentionally hurt me?"

"_Never_."

The answer was out of Crona's mouth so fast that Maka wondered if he had anticipated the question. Still, she gave a small smile and a gentle squeeze.

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

She heard him give a small "huh" of confusion, and started explaining.

"I have to be honest with you, Crona…when you left…it hurt me a lot…"

She felt Crona flinch, and gently rubbed his arm out of comfort.

"I know you had reasons for doing it, and I understand them completely. It still hurt me…but the reason that it hurt me was because you were gone."

She smiled, gently stroking Crona's hair. "When I touched your soul, it started a connection between us that I don't think I'll ever recreate, even if I could…I want you to be here with me, Crona. I want you to be a part of my life, no matter what. And just thinking about you being gone again is just so painful for me…which is why I will never let that happen."

She pulled away slightly, reaching down and gently cupping Crona's chin, moving his head up. She saw his expression had finally changed to one of surprise and amazement.

She gave him a warm smile. "What I'm trying to say is, like it or not, you're stuck with me."

Crona stared at her, eyes wide with surprise. Maka realized that it was a pretty bold thing to say, but boldness was what he needed right then.

Soon enough, she saw the tears start to well up, and Crona started giving small sobs. She pulled him back towards her, letting his face fall into her shoulder and his arms wrap around her.

"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" he muttered into her clothes.

Maka gently rubbed his back, shushing him quietly and letting him cry, not even really knowing why he was apologizing.

And as the two of them sat there, one comforting and one being comforted, Maka couldn't help but think about the story that they had read, and all the others like it. The ones that tried to change things for their own author's preferences.

She expected to feel anger right then. She wanted to feel anger then. But with Crona sobbing uncontrollably in her arms, she simply couldn't.

The story that they had read that day tried to destroy something she held dear. It tried to destroy some_one_ she held dear. She knew that anger would come, and she would welcome it when it did.

But it wouldn't be then. So all she could do was wonder one thing:

_Why?_

/

Mood Whiplash, anyone?

So, as you can see, the story with Crona isn't over just yet. It almost is, but not yet.

As always, fanmail and recommendations are welcome, but please consider what I said at the start.

See you next time.


	28. Story 12: I Hate Snakes

Alright, enough screwing around, it's time for me to get the next chapter done!

I hope you guys all read the Halloween Special in the main fic, because there was an important note about the updating schedule for the foreseeable future there. I don't really know if it'll stick, since I'm sort of iffy on how things will go past the first quarter of the story. We'll have to wait and see.

Also, I'm officially trying something new here. Some of you have asked if it was OK to send the characters gifts or something via the fanmail. Well, I decided that I'm going to give it a shot. However, these have to be small things. Things you could actually send in the mail. Don't give Crona a house or Maka a car or whatever. Just small stuff. Also, do not, I repeat, _do not_ send them anything that would deliberately provoke a negative reaction from them. As in, nothing disgusting or sexual or whatever. First review I get with something like that, this idea is cancelled and will never be brought up again. So don't.

Anyway, today's story comes recommended by someone named Georgina. Agree, disagree, her idea, yadda yadda yadda.

Onward!

/

It's been said that you can never redo a first impression. Crona knew this all too well, no matter how much he wished it wasn't true. No matter how much he wanted things to be different, he knew that his first meeting with Maka would always be the same. There was nothing he could do about that.

Not only that, but there had been certain labels that had been applied to him. Monster. Freak. Murderer. Coward. Those labels would stick in some people's minds, and he would have to deal with them for the rest of his life if he let them stay.

Which was why he chose to remain at the theater, so he could prove that he wasn't any of those things. He needed to prove that he was different, to both himself and his friends. He wanted to be a better person. So he simply had to face the current source of his grief and stress head on, otherwise those labels wouldn't go away.

That was what he told himself when he made that decision. But now that he was standing in front of the screen again, Maka right beside him, his earlier confidence seemed to be gone.

It wasn't so difficult when he was with the others. Raven's suggestion of meditation had been helping quite a bit, and without having to worry about seeing a fic from his own world, doing reviews with her and Subarashii wasn't a problem.

In addition to that, The Host hadn't called him and Maka to the theater in a short while. Maybe it was some form of apology to him. Maybe it was to calm him down enough so he wouldn't trash the theater again. Maybe he just didn't need him as much now. Whatever the case, it had given Crona more time to accept going back to the theater.

Except thinking about that situation and actually having it happen were two completely different things. Now that he was about to run the risk of seeing something like last time once again, it didn't seem so simple.

He felt a hand gently grasp his own and turned to look at Maka, who had a concerned look on her face.

"How're you doing?" she asked.

Crona tensed slightly before looking back at the screen. As much as he wanted to stay behind, every other part of him was telling him to just start running. Maka would understand. He hadn't told her that he was thinking about quitting, because he was worried she would just blame herself for it. But it wasn't unreasonable for him to decide to leave, after what happened. She would understand that.

He then sighed and gave the best answer he could.

"I don't know…"

He felt Maka's hand squeeze his and soon returned the gesture. He then looked back at her, showing some concern of his own.

"W-What about you?"

Maka blinked in mild surprise, then gave a weary smile.

"Well…I'd like to say that it probably can't get worse from here, but I'd hate to jinx it…"

She then gently squeezed Crona's hand again.

"Guess all we can do is keep going and hope for the best, right?"

_Somehow, I knew she would say that…_ Crona thought. He squeezed Maka's hand in reply, giving a small nod as well.

The two then let go of the other's hand and returned to their seats. Without another word, they opened the first fanmail letter and started reading.

_Crona: Besides you being half witch. What nationality are you? If ya dont know then thats alright. But ya know I keep thinking besides being found in Italy, that you just might be Italian. I mean think about it. You where found in Italy, with in a church, dressed kinda like a nunn(or monk if you prefer), sence you do say its a robe after all. Then you being a swordsmen and all._

"I wasn't "found" in Italy…that's just where I was introduced. And what does the other stuff have to do with it?"

_Plus then theres your favorite food. PASTA! :D_

_That is if Pasta is your favorite. :3_

"…isn't that a bit stereotypical?"

_If not Italian, then you gotta be at least some kinda European right?_

"I guess…I mean, Medusa was Greek, so maybe…"

Maka tilted her head. "Medusa was Greek?"

"That's what she told me, anyway…"

_P.S. I cant see you as a docter. I strangly see you as a libreian for some odd reason. But then its your choice. ;)_

"…that wouldn't be so bad…"

Maka smiled. "Yeah, you wouldn't have to study as much for that like you would for being a doctor. Plus, you could work at the academy if you wanted to."

Crona smiled as well. "…I think I'd like that…"

_Maka: I know your half Jap,_

"I'll thank you to not call them that."

_but I think you might be also half European, I researched the last name Albarn, its considerd british I beleave. Interesting huh? :3 But all an all, I do know one thing is for sure, despite your creator being Japanese...he placed you in America. Funny to, So would it make more sence for people to watch the anime in english dubb anyways given the location for all most characters? Just a silly thought._

"…well, I _think_ my dad's English-born, but I can't be sure of that. It's more likely he's American."

_P.S. I saw an interesting picture of you with your hair down but on your right side, I beleave was braided, all that long hair of yours. It kinda looked simalar to Killik when he got gender benderd. It looked cool, made ya look more hard core. :]_

Maka sighed, twirling one of her pigtails absent-mindedly. "I'm pretty sure I mentioned this already, but I'm not about to braid my hair. It's a bit of a pain, and it reminds me too much of Edward Elric. So, no thank you."

Crona then looked over his shoulder. "Your turn."

The oh-so-familiar _splortch_ rang out as Ragnarok appeared from Crona's back, leaning over to look at the letter.

"Just so long as it isn't that nutcase stalker or anything!"

_Ragnarok: Whats it like being in Crona's blood stream? Is it like some kinda crazy roller coaster in there or what?_

"…I can't even try to give a proper answer to that question. It's way too crazy to explain."

_Also, has anyone noticed that when Crona whore the white tux, he didn't have a huge ass anymore, much less didn't seem so curvy anymore._

_Whats up with that?_

"How the fuck should I know? Do I look like some kind of expert on his…I dunno, ass-ology or something? Maybe he just lost some weight and his ass finally stopped being so fat!"

"C-Can we please not talk about this?" Crona asked, his face bright red.

Maka simply looked away, her own face rather red itself.

_Quick side question. Did you ever like that stupid Black Blood Clown dude or what?_

"Hang on, lemme think-NO! I hated that useless freak! Bad enough that I have to share a body already, but it got way too crowded in there with him! Not to mention he was just a stock psycho freak! Do you have any idea how annoying it was just listening to him drone on and on about "ooh, go kill that thing!" or "start killing those things!" Fuck's sake, I don't let anyone tell me what to do!"

Ragnarok then crossed his arms, looking at Maka while Crona opened the next letter. "What ever happened to that freak, anyway?"

"He died soon after we separated him from you two." Maka explained. "I guess he just couldn't survive out of Crona's body."

_Crona:You are not replaceable you are my apsalute faverite character so please don't say or think bad thing's about yourself your a great person and you will overcome these trial's and emerge a stronger and better person than ever i have comeplete faith in you and remember you still have the comunecator from Raven she's been through thing's like this so reach out to her_

Maka blinked. "Wait, you have a what now?"

Crona flustered. "W-Well, ah…R-Raven g-gave me a T-Titans communicator…y-you know, just in case of emergencies…"

Maka tilted her head. "I thought I heard you talking to her earlier…"

"Huh?"

"Oh, when I walked past your room today I heard you talking, and I thought I'd heard Raven's voice. I guess that explains it."

Crona frowned, then gave Maka a worried look.

"Y-You're not mad at me for not telling you…are you?"

"What? No, of course I'm not! If you want to talk to your other friends, you don't have to let me know or anything, Crona! It's not going to bother me or anything!"

"Oh…OK…"

_Maka:If you were going to be the medium for one of the Rozen Maiden's who would it be and why ? note no Kirakishou instead Barasuishou_

"Uh-"

"Y-You should just skip that one." Crona interrupted. "Trust me…"

"…OK then…"

_Ragnarok:Glad your back i'm doing a story about you telling _

_four-six yearold's fairytale's and i'm doing it while keeping you in character you thougt's ?_

"You cannot imagine the sheer power of the fucks I do not give."

_P.S do you think Marie view's you as a son to ?_

"See above."

Maka tilted her head while Crona opened the next letter. "That really doesn't matter to you?"

"Not a bit. Do not care one way or the other."

"…oddly enough, I don't believe you."

"Don't care about that either."

_Ragnarok: What's your earliest memory?_

"Waking up to find myself stuck to this guy. I also found out I could scream so loud I could shake the room right then."

Crona frowned, rubbing the side of his head while he opened the next letter. "So that's why I don't remember much of that…"

"You were like, what, five? Maybe younger? I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot."

_crona heloooooo my bro said to poligize so heer it gos sory and done incays ya didnt know im the the 1 whoz been trollin ya and now il stil be doin it but in more of a jerk way not a brayk you soul way K ?_

Crona sighed. "I figured that out already, thank you…"

_maky it turns out the 1st Q i asked crona last time is answerd in the manga and some advice 1 girl to anothur GET SEXYER PANTYS_

Maka flushed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

_cronas nise enuf to his fans to go without least u can do is hav a ciut pair on maybe a thon wada ya think crona ? / somehow this made it past my fashist bro wtf_

Maka's hand met her face, covering her large blush. "I swear, just when I think they finally learn…"

_RAGGY you cant hyde from me my SMEXY BLACK BLOOD GOD OF LOVE !_

"Right!" Ragnarok called. "Nice being out for all of five minutes, but it's time to go!"

Without giving either Maka or Crona a chance to respond, Ragnarok dove back into Crona's body.

Maka frowned while she opened her next letter. "Never thought I'd see _Ragnarok_ have to run from a fangirl…"

Crona shuddered slightly. "Our fans really disturb me at times…"

"…at times?"

"…right…"

_Crona: I didn't mean you die, I meant that if Maka tried to stab you then Ragnarok would pop out to save you then he can be asked the questions about why he left (though it's now because_

Crona quickly snatched the letter from Maka and skipped to the next question.

_Maka: Are pigtails really efficient during combat? Don't they ever block your vision._

"Eh, not as much as you would think. Not that I haven't had the odd instance where they've been a problem."

She gave a contemplative frown while Crona opened the next letter. "Maybe I should switch to a ponytail…what do you think, Crona?"

Crona flushed. "U-Um…either one would look good…I-I mean, would work fine! Th-That's what I meant!"

"…okaaaaay…"

_Crona: In the whole Soul Eater world, you'd be the most... tolerate of this. The fact that you can get hit by all this and still go on speaks VOLUMES of your strength. I get the feeling that if the snake never tried to break you, you'd probably be unstoppable._

"…I wouldn't go that far…"

_Now for the question! Blood has no true shape, right? So has Ragnarok ever tried to be anything else other than a sword? Maybe he should try being a shotgun! Or a staff. I can picture you holding a kickass staff! Rock on dude!_

"Ragnarok might be made of my blood, but he's still a weapon. He can't change into anything else but a sword."

_Maka: I want to tell you something hilariously ridiculous, but I get the feeling I might piss you off a bit too much. Screw it, I'm telling ya! There's a fic where you're turned into a little girl (again) and it turns out you were a papa's girl. Always wanting daddy and all that. Is this true?_

Maka stared at the letter for a few minutes, the room growing quiet. She then turned her head and looked away from the letter and Crona, not making a sound.

Crona frowned, already worried and somewhat confused in regards to Maka's reaction.

"Maka…?"

Maka didn't turn to look at Crona, and spoke with a slight waver in her voice.

"Just…next question, please…"

Crona's concern only grew, but he decided to do as Maka asked and read the next question.

_Both: If you guys had a kid, what would you name it?_

The two of them both let out a shout of surprise, their faces getting incredibly red.

"Why do you keep asking us stuff like that?" Maka questioned.

Crona quickly opened the next letter, eager to move on to another subject.

_Maka:_

_Do you like pineapple?_

"Yeah, a bit."

_How do you feel about people cosplaying as you?_

"It's…nice? …I guess?"

_Do you like Tennis?_

"Well, I am still interested in trying it out…"

Maka then frowned when she had the impression Crona was staring at her. She turned to see a rather nervous expression on his face.

"…Crona, relax, I'm not going to use Blair to make a tennis racket."

Crona sighed shakily. "R-Right…I knew that…"

_What are you currently reading?_

"Stephen King's Carrie."

_How did Spirit react when he found out you were living with Soul?_

"Take a wild guess…"

_Crona:_

_Do you like snow?_

"Yeah, I do…I don't mind the cold…"

_You've bent your body pretty ridiculously before, are you a contortionist?_

"N-Not really…I'm just really flexible, I guess…"

_How do you feel about people cosplaying as you as well?_

"…I try not to think about it too much…"

_Is there anything you like about your fans?_

"W-Well, some of them can be nice…I do appreciate that…"

_Have you ever tried dancing?_

"N-No…I doubt I'd be very good at it…"

Maka smiled, gently patting Crona on the shoulder while he opened the next letter. "That's no big deal. I'm not that great at dancing either."

"Probably better than me…"

Maka tilted her head. "How would you know if you haven't tried?"

"…um…because…?"

Maka sighed, reaching over and pulling Crona into a hug. "I'm not great at _everything_, Crona…"

Crona flushed at the contact. "I-I know…doesn't mean you wouldn't be better than me…"

Maka reached up and gently tapped Crona on the head. "You really should stop so self-depreciative, you know…"

"…sorry…"

Maka squeezed him gently and decided to start reading the letter.

_maka_

_there is a reason no soul eater/maximum ride fanfics have been sent in yet. there are 5 i just recommended 3 of them._

"…you know, I wasn't asking for requests when I said that."

_anyway when stein has you diesect things where does he get the money to get rare creatures?_

"That's a good question…maybe Lord Death just arranges it for him?"

_is there a kishin egg out there named after freddy kruger?_

"Probably. Not that I've run into him."

_crona_

_youre reaction last time was the most correct the second that they started comparing maka to /that/ woman i went into shock and nearly fell over you're my hero._

Crona sighed, tossing the letter aside and moving to the next one.

Maka frowned, placing her hand on Crona's arm, causing him to look at her in mild surprise.

"Crona, you know I'm not upset with you, right?"

Crona nodded. "I know…I just wish things had gone differently…"

Maka moved her hand up to squeeze Crona's own, which he soon returned. He then started reading the new letter.

_Dearest Crona... Monster is a state of mind. Plenty of Human people have been more Monstrous than you have ever done in your entire career... EVER... Just because you have different blood does not make you a monster. Just because you share your body with Ragnarok does not make you so different that you can not be friends or more with a human. She won't push you away. Your heart's treasure feels almost as strongly as you do about you. It's there for all of us to see... you just have to let go of the fear and trust her._

Crona stared at the letter, mouth hanging open slightly in shock. A part of him was surprised that this person even knew about his conversation with Raven, but since it took place in the theater, it wasn't impossible. Especially since the fans had learned about other things that weren't in the theater.

But even more surprising was how she was so willing to provide comfort and help with this problem. No matter how many times one of their fans did that, it still surprised him. He felt an immense amount of gratitude towards this person, and couldn't help but smile a little.

Said smile quickly vanished when he saw the "heart's treasure" part again. His face turned bright red, and before Maka could respond, he continued reading.

_Maka..._

_I love ya honey... You are the best thing that ever happened to Crona, and Some day, both of you will see it._

Maka blushed brightly, scratching the back of her head while giving a sheepish grin.

"Geez, this one really likes to pile it on thick, doesn't she?"

"She's right, though…"

"Eh?" Maka responded, looking at Crona in confusion.

His eyes were off to the side, and there was a small smile on his face.

"You _are_ the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Maka stared at Crona, eyes wide in surprise. She could feel her own face getting warmer than it already was, while her brain scrambled to think of some sort of response.

Naturally, she fell on her typical plan, and moved forward to wrap Crona in as tight a hug as she could give. Crona soon returned the gesture, though he was careful not to hug her too tightly.

"Geez, Crona…" Maka muttered. "I don't know what to say when you say stuff like that…"

Crona's smile grew slightly. "But it's true…"

_Dang it, Crona, stop confusing me so much…_ Maka thought.

The two of them soon separated, and Crona opened the next letter.

_Maka:_

_Was their ever a mission that made you think you step into the Twilight zone?_

"Not really…would've been interesting if there was. I actually liked that show…"

_During Halloween,have soul ever tried to scare you out your wits?_

"Oh yeah, he's certainly tried. Hasn't succeeded, but he's tried."

Crona frowned. "But Soul told me that that one incident with the blanket and the bucket of water-"

"He was embellishing the story, trust me."

_What do you think of the singer Britney spears?_

"Bleh."

_Chrona:_

_Have Ragnarok ever ever popped of you belly before?_

"Yeah, a few times. Why?"

_Have you ever played with a baby duck before?_

"N-No, I haven't…"

_Maka & Chrona:_

_How was the year 2000 like for you?Did you believe in the Y2k prediction?_

Maka sighed. "Alright, alright, I might've bought into the hype a little. I was still a kid then, I was gullible."

"I've never heard of this "Y2K" thing before…" Crona responded.

"It was another one of those "end of the world" scare stories." Maka explained while opening the next letter. "The idea was that once it hit the year 2000, all of the world's computers would shut down or something. I don't really remember the details, but everyone was going crazy about it."

"You mean like how everyone's talking about 2012 now?"

"Basically, yeah."

_Maka:_

_What year does Soul eater take in?Some writers think your world takes place in 2011,2010 or 2008 or any other dates that takes place after the anime debut.I believe that the year is 2003 in your world due to the manga I'm just asking this because your universe is pretty intresting._

"If our creator can't make up his mind in that regard, how should we know the answer?"

_Does the sun and moon ever creep or surprise you out sometimes?_

"Not really, considering they've always been like that for us."

_Like the black eye peas?_

"Meh."

_everybody:_

_If you were to some how end up in Super smash bros Brawl universe which nintendo character would you fight?_

"I really don't know…" Crona answered.

"Peach. She's really, really annoying to me." Maka replied.

_Which dessert would you chose: Red Velvet brownies or Fried ice cream?_

"Um…the first one…I guess?" Maka said.

"Yeah, same here…maybe?" Crona added.

Crona then looked over at Maka while she opened the next letter. "I thought ice cream was supposed to be cold…"

"I don't really get it either."

_Ragnarok: If you had your own body for exactly 24 hours what would you do?_

There was a low gurgling sound as Ragnarok peeked over Crona's shoulder.

"Get laid."

Maka sighed. "Why am I not surprised by that…?"

"Hey, it's either that or go out killing people! And since I'm apparently not allowed to do that anymore, it's gotta be the other choice!"

With that, Ragnarok returned to Crona's body, leaving a rather embarrassed Crona to read the next question.

_Maka: Where does Lord Death get all of the money to do all the stuff he does? If he says "I want a blimp that can go to the moon" he can get one ASAP! Is it a global collaboration of all the countries? Did he invent the paperclip and is still getting royalties?_

"…um, he's _Death_. I think he can ask for whatever he wants to without having to worry about money. Who's going to say no to him?"

"Someone who's suicidal?" Crona suggested as he opened the next letter.

"…OK, but besides that."

_maka: you like crona (chrona) don't you_

Maka flushed, gritting her teeth. "Don't you start."

_ps: very big fan and i'm sorry for the torture you two go through personally you two are the coolest people ever._

"Gee, thanks…" Maka replied sardonically.

_P.s.s: chrona ( crona) never Give up hope stay strong and take care of maka_

"R-Right…" Crona replied.

Without wasting any time, Crona grabbed the next letter and started reading.

_Chrona: do you "like" maka or do like maka as a friend?_

Crona simply flushed and moved on to the next question.

_Chrona and Maka: what starts with "f" and end with "uck"?_

_Firetruck_

_What starts with "p" and ends with "orn"?_

_Popcorn_

Maka sighed, crumpling the letter and tossing it aside. "Great, now we've got a smartass middle-schooler as a fan."

Crona simply opened the next letter, eager to finish and move on to whatever story they had that day.

_For Crona and Maka though, My questions are:_

_1. Are you guys TV Tropers?_

"Not really, the random information just gives us tropes sometimes." Maka explained.

"But that happens more when I'm with Raven and Subarashii than it does here…" Crona added.

_2. Would you ever review another fic from another anime just to well, see other horizons so to speak?_

"If we actually had a choice in the matter, yes…" Maka grumbled.

_3. Can I borrow that tray you both use? I'm gonna need it after reading some of these terrible fics._

"Not a chance." they answered simultaneously.

_To Crona and Maka,_

_Hey you two, it's awesome to finally send a message out. Ya know, I've always been a big fan of this "pairing" ever since I started reading Soul Eater fics,_

"Watch it…" Maka warned.

_what sucks though is some of the crap I had read and well, reread due to this show. But hey, the commentary that was actually funny before you guys started losing your minds over how awful they were. But I understand it though, the stuff you go through, I feel like I need to bash my skull in with a titanium tray. Even so, If I could, I'd give ya both a hug, you guys need it after the trouble you went through. The sadists, Dracula, these fics, all of it. It's always darkest before dawn, but when the dawn comes, life will get better for you guys, I'm certain of it._

_And Crona, keep your head up, you have an amazing person by your side and some awesome friends. You could also use more hugs._

"What's that?" Maka asked. "More hugs? Good idea!"

She then reached over and hugged Crona again, a wide, playful smile on her face. Crona blushed in response, a small smile on his own face.

_Maka, have you ever Maka Chopped a Pre-Kishin to death? I've always wondered. Also, keep your spirits up too!_

"No, I haven't. The fight would be over way too fast if I did."

Crona tilted his head. "But wouldn't it make more sense to finish the fight sooner?"

Maka sighed, getting to her feet. "Yes, but apparently our creator wants to make the fights "entertaining". Crazy, I know."

With that, she walked over to the table and picked up the envelope, opening it and reading the contents.

_First of all, I'd like to say that I may not be calling on you two as much as I used to. Don't hold me to that, though, we'll have to see._

_At any rate, it's a little funny that I have the urge to talk to you two about "forgiveness". Not just because of what happened last time, but because of something else. Raven would know what I'm talking about._

_Your story today is called medusas end by medusa10._

_Enjoy._

Maka crumpled the letter in her hand, teeth gritting instinctively. From the title and the name of the author, it was all too easy to figure out what the subject of this story was.

_Unbelievable…after what happened last time, he's going to pull THIS on us?_ Maka thought furiously.

She threw the paper at the ground before marching back to her seat, fuming quietly as she sat back down. She then turned to look at Crona, expecting the worst.

Thankfully, Crona wasn't looking as though he was about to get up and run away, but he still looked very uneasy. He was wringing his hands nervously in his lap, eyes glued to the screen.

"…Crona?" Maka asked.

"…I-I'll manage…" Crona responded. "L-Let's just get it o-over with…"

Maka frowned, not entirely convinced that Crona was ready. Before she could comment, though, the room darkened and the show began.

/

**This is my first fan fic**

Maka: …guys, I know we've said this a lot…but seriously, stop saying that. You're just asking for trouble.

**this is gory in the seance of blood.**

Crona: …what's the difference between a regular séance and a blood séance?

Maka: The second is a bit more unholy than the first?

**I don't hate medusa if any thing she is my favorite.**

Both: …she has _fans_?

**I do not own soul eater . RAR**

Crona: Why did she just roar at us…?

Maka: *shrug*

**Medusa**

Maka: What about her?

**For maka and soul it started as a normal day going to class eating lunch hanging with the gang but some thing was wrong with crona she mumbled stuff to her self.**

Crona: *sighs*

Maka: And here we go again…

**So as a good friend maka asked what is wrong. Crone said nothing is is wrong maka.**

Crona: …quotations? Anyone?

Maka: We don't need no stinking quotations!

**Maka said ok. But still knowing something was up. They walked around**

Crona: …walked around…where? In a circle? Around town? Around the Eiffel Tower?

Maka: Ooh, nice, free trip to France.

**crona said two words and maka heard those two words lady medusa. Maka said she cant get you in death city i prommis. Crona had a small smile. Maka whas worried for crona but they keppet walking. Make said to soul " crona looks extremely worried."**

Ragnarok: Noooooooooo shit!

**As it got latter every one started to split up Until it was only maka, soul, crona, and black star. Black star kept on going on how he will serapes gods.**

Crona: …um…

Maka: Yeah…let's just leave that one alone…

**Maka looked like she could care less.**

Maka: _Couldn't_. It's _couldn't_ care less.

**crona on the other hand seemed interested.**

Crona: …why would I be interested in that?

**It was completely dark out maka and crona was going out side death city to look at the stars they did for a good hour or so.**

Both: …*blush*

**they spit up.**

Maka: Um…ew.

**Maka was heading back when she feels the presents of two witch souls**

Maka: Free stuff!

**one was weekend the other was stronger**

Maka: …forget it. If I make a joke with every grammatical error, we'll be here forever.

**she runs as fast as she can to get there. as she gets close finds two more souls bolth misters. She finally gets there her hear hart was bought to explode**

Crona: Th-That definitely doesn't sound good…

Maka: Wait, why would I buy an exploding heart? That's just silly.

**when she sees dr stein,crona, arachne, and medusa. She sees medusa is bleeding out and she grins but then she stops and looks a arachne and then to stein. Stein says to take medusa to the infirmary quickly. Maka looked confused and said in hatred 'why she is just a witch'**

Maka: More importantly, she's a total bitch, so why are we saving her?

**She looked at medusa with hatred and looked discussed,**

Crona: …never mind, Maka's right. We'll take too long if we make fun of all of them.

**Arachne just laughed with an evil grin and looked at medusa and disappeared .crona looking scars as ever**

Crona: Wait, how can I _look_ scars? What, do I just look at someone and they get scars on their body?

Maka: That's certainly a superpower I haven't heard of…

**stein said we have to bring medusa now. Maka said 'why'. Agean Stein said if she dies so douse rachel die so we have got to get them to the infirmary**

Maka: *groan* Why do they always have to get Rachel involved…?

**Medusa is covered with a pool of blood when stein picks hear up she is dripping with blood. and passes out stein running as fast as he can while checking medusas pulse to make shore she is alive while running he has to go thru the market. Medusa still a live by a thread. people move out of the way and every one is talking. Background people whispering ' is that medusa. I thought she was dead. It can't be**

**Stein finally gets to the infirmary. He knows he has to act quickly to keep medusa/Rachel alive Maka gets crona,soul,kid,Liz,patty,black star and tsubaki. Tells them what happens**

Crona: Wait, why did she need to tell me? I was there!

Maka: And why did you need to list everyone? Did you think we'd forget who was in our circle of friends?

**Chapter 2 medusa recovery As maka got the gang and told them everyone looked surprised pissed but crona was kscared to the brink where she could not move. All she said quietly was "she is back." Every one was feeling bad for crona.**

Ragnarok: Well, gee, aren't you guys great friends? Feeling bad for him so much that the fic needs to declare it! As though it wasn't already pretty friggin' obvious that you would anyway-

Maka: Yes, thank you, Ragnarok. I think we got it.

Ragnarok: Hey, apparently I have fans, so I guess I have to participate somehow.

**Maka said to crona with a frowned face' she is going to be hear for a long time it could be year but she can't heart you a teachers will be watching hear non stop ok. I will never let you get heart by hear ok. Crona had a small glimmer of hope in hear eye.**

Crona: …hearing through my eye?

Maka: It might be better to not think about that one too much.

Crona: Yeah…

**Back in the infirmary dr stein and nygus where working non stop to save medusa. Out side almost all of the students were there trying to hear what was going on. Maka told crona that they will try not to go down that hall. But never the less the last class was right next to the infirmary so no one could pay attention couse they could hear what was going on. Every once in a while we could hear the hart beet monitor go really fast. One time we heard dr stein say we are lousing her but then we heard the hart monitor go really fast and slow down to normal.**

Maka: Oh God, this just switched to a first-person view, didn't it…?

**This went on for two days. After 48 hours the gang see's dr stein leaving the room.**

Maka: …and right back again. OK then…

**Maka is still made he saved hear but she is happy rachal is still alive. Crona is scared to see lady medusa.**

Crona: …this fic is really bad at expressing emotions…

Maka: No kidding…

**Stein came to talk to crona and ask ' would you like to see hear I know you are scared of her but She is being watched at all times right know. Also she isnt awake yet. nygus is with hear would you like to see hear?' Crona said 'only if maka can come.' Stein said ok but two at a time and crona you can visit her whenever you want. Stein had brought them in. Nygus said hello. Maka and crona said 'hello back.'**

Crona: …we actually said "hello back"?

Maka: *facepalm*

**ragnarok came out to see what medusa looked like. Medusa had tubes every where also she had a blood bag that whas the size of ragnarok (when he is small)**

Ragnarok: I think we can figure that out ourselves, thanks! It's not like they even make bags that are as big as I used to be!

**All of a sudden the hart beet monitor whas fast and loud crona was clenching her fist hard Maka said 'crona don't hurt your self. We should go.' crona left the room. Every one got back to gather and talked. crona said she had to take care of some things. The only thought that went threw every ones mind was is she going to kill medusa.**

Maka: …OK, Crona would know well enough not to do that if Rachel was involved! Why even bring it up if that's not going to happen?

Crona: …it's not guaranteed that it won't happen…

Maka: _It had better not_.

**so every one was talking abought crona crona was confessed but no body said any thing.**

Maka: Wait, we were talking about Crona while he was still there? …or did he leave and come back, or…

Crona: Now I'm really confused…

**Before crona left ragnarok poppet out and said I want to stay and eat. An hour had past maka said she needed to pick up more food. When she was at the market she saw crona getting food maka came and said you dont need to pick up food Me and soul will ok Crona said she paid all ready.' trying to cover up the fact she was lying. Crona got home and made all sorts of different foods and made a card saying Get well. I know you never really loved me but I hope you are get better.**

Ragnarok: "Hope you are get better"? Author, graduate from kindergarten _before_ you start writing!

**Love crona Also it had a rouse in it**

Maka: …um-

Crona: L-Let's just skip this…

Maka: OK…

**Crona was done with every thing and passed out on maka and souls couch. Maka saw all these tasty treats apple pie home made pizza all that good stuff she read a note saying please don't touch. She didn't touch but she saw somethings a card that says to mom.**

Crona: *flinch*

Maka: Crona…

Crona: I-I'm O-OK…

Maka: …you don't exactly look OK…

Crona: …let's just keep going…

**She could not resist to open the card but she didn't open the card.**

Maka: …so did I open it or not? A little clarification would be nice!

**Crona woke up around 12 and said "o no the food." she put the food in the fridge and fell back a sleep she woke up at around 4pm and saw maka and soul fighting a bought the food Maka said if crona put a note saying not to touch. What do you do ow i got it Don't touch. Soul said back angrily "you moved the card I didn't see it ok " Maka screamed you don't know if the food was for us ok and dont ask if it was for us crona would have told us ok.**

Maka: …Crona, Soul and I don't get that bad when we argue, do we…?

Crona: N-No, of course not! Nowhere near that bad!

Maka: …alright…

**Crona said " soul it is ok it was to much food any was ok so don't fight." Maka said " it is not ok you bought the food with your money so you say who can eat it. I'm not trying to be mean but soul needs to learn ok." Soul said with an attitude I'm sorry crona for eating you food."**

Maka: Way to be a jerkass, Soul.

**Crone said it's ok like I said before to much food. Soul left in a few minets and so did crona. maka thought to her self on peek at the card that's all. So maka read the card. She thought he did all this for medusa. I don't know why she treats him like crap all the time. I will never under stand crona.**

Maka: Oh, so now he's a guy? What, you couldn't decide?

**She puts the card down and levees THE NEXT DAY Stein told crona that "medusa might wake up in a few hours or so" Crona said thank you" Crona rushed home got the food and card . Crona puts the food on one side and the card on the other. Crona told Nygus to tell medusa this is for her." Nygus replied ok crona Crona ran of to sids class he was a few minuets late and Sid said crona where where you crona. Crona froz and said scary blue man.**

Crona: *facepalm* I don't always get like that around Sid…

**Maka came down and asked the same thing crona said checking on lady medusa. every one was staring when she said that**

Maka: …apparently, no, you couldn't decide, because you're back to using "she".

**sid said just don't be late next time now take a seat. Right be fore the bell rang dr stein came in and said Crona your mom is up would you like to see her." Crona said yes but can maka come to." Dr stein said no not till class is over but then you two can go."**

Crona: Why? Why is it OK for me to miss class but not her?

Maka: Because the plot demands it, as always.

**Maka said go I'll meet up with you ok Crona said I will come." Crona went down the stares and fallowed stein. crona got to the infirmary and walked in and said hello lady medusa what do you think of all the stuff I made for you." Medusa replied "Its nice**

Maka: *grumbles* Ungrateful little…

**Medusas pain crona had a grin she know that whas the best she would get and left**

Crona: …well, they got that part right, at least.

Maka: *hugs Crona*

**Medusa read the note and had a grin . Crona met up with maka Maka said how are you Crona said ok Maka gave him a hug and kept walking .**

Maka: Seriously, pick one or the other. Stop jumping around like this.

**When they got home they talked about medusa and how they will get there revenge and crona just agreed. They were all in class as dr stein kept talking a bout how arachnophobia will attack us soon. Maka said well get all those damn witches Crona said yes**

Ragnarok: Well, you certainly have a lot to add to the conversation.

Crona: I noticed…

**It had bin a few months since medusas surgery every ones and a wile crona visited medusa She just sat in the conner and starred at the floor. ones and a wile crona tried to make a conversation but it endid after medusa says hi back. Maka asked if she wanted to do something like go out for dinner or go on a walk.**

Maka: …have you decided yet? Or should I expect another jump?

**Crona said dinner so they went to a cafe they talked Maka asked " what dose you think of your aunt or a arachne Crona said lady medusa told me she is not to be trusted or like. Maka said I don't care what medusa says I'm asking you Crona said ok I think she Is mean and evil. Maka said me to And they ate there dinner**

Ragnarok: "Mean and evil"? Sheesh, don't hold back guys, tell us how you really feel!

**It had bin a year now since medusas injury.**

Maka: Oh, come on, she couldn't have been hurt _that_ badly!

**Crona was walking home when she bumped into stein Crona said sorry Stein said it ok also I would like to let you know your mom is back to her old self no longer in Rachel's body it looks like her soul is fully repaired and she is going into custody.**

Crona: …how? She can't just create a new body from scratch! And what was the point of having her possess Rachel if she was just going to get her own body again…?

Maka: Forced sympathy?

**Crona said ok Crona walked back home and told maka Maka was happy that rachel got her body back and says what ever she gets is to good for her. Crona agrees Spirit tells medusa to fallow him. Without any say in it she gets up and follows him. They get in a room she says what do you want. Spirit says first what were you doing in death city. Medusa says why do you care.**

**Spirit says we can do this the easy way or the painful way. He pulls out a wrench with dried blood.**

Maka: …whoa, wait, what?

Crona: …what is going on…?

**Medusa tying to recap what happens. Spirit gets up and walks closer with the wrench pulls it to her tooth and says the same thing. Still thinking the next thing she knows she feels him yank out a tooth as she screams in pain he says why were you in death city." a bit louder medusa still in pain she can't talk he pulls it up to her tooth says 5 4,3,2 ,1 and pulls out a second tooth she screams twice as loud. Medusa has a few tears but stops**

All: *shocked silence*

Ragnarok: …what the fuck…?

**Medusa says in horrible pain" stop please.**

**Spirit says I will when you talk**

**Medusa says ok ok I'll say if you stop**

**Spirit says good**

**Medusa says I was walking to go get food next thing I know I see arachne and giriko. They attack me I tried to fight back but giriko hit me with his blade foot I was in a lot of pain I dropped bruw and ran**

**Spirit you had bruw and drooped it**

**Medusa says do u want to hear why or not**

**Spirit says we can go back to before**

**Medusa gulps and says ok I ran clenching my stomach to have less bleeding I see death city and run faster and faster hoping some one would see the presents of us I ran and ran I fell got back up vomited blood a lot finaly got hear. I heard arachne tell giriko to go back he sounded pist but did as was told but arachne still fallowed me I fall in a ally I see stein and crona come then maka. You know the rest.**

Crona: …that sounded a lot more like a narrator's perspective than hers…

Maka: And why are you even bringing Brew back into this? Considering that went pretty much nowhere?

**Spirit said how did arachne know you had bruw**

**Medusa said I answered you your first question that is all**

**Spirit said ok then I'll get it out of you.**

**Spirit torcherd medusa for a hour all that was left was two teeth bolth had drill holes in them and she had punch marks and on one of her hands all the fingers were first dislocated then broke.**

Ragnarok: …let me repeat: What the fuck?

Maka: And could you actually answer this time…? Because I'd like to know too.

**Medusa was crying nonstop**

**Spirit said I dont feel bad at all**

Maka: …I can't believe I'm about to say this, but…you should. You really should!

**Medusa says I replaced the real bruw with a fake arachne know and hunted me down you know the story. Can I please go please i gave you what you want please at least to the cell please.**

**Spirit grind and said ok but we will be back towmorow**

**Medusa was happy to be leaving on the way back maka and crona saw medusa missing teeth sobbing and her fingers bent in a weird way**

**Crona looked and felt horrible For medusa**

Crona: …and that's it? You didn't think to ask why she was like that? …what the hell is _wrong_ with you?

**the next day every one heard a BOOM**

Maka: Most overused sound effect _ever_.

**Medusas sacrifice**

**Boom was heard all over death city they hear alarms going off saying arachnophobia is hear get ready to attack every one ready we could se a army and there HQ coming a shot hit the cells medusa trying to escape. In the death room lord death said I thought we had more time he called crona,soul,kid,Liz,patty,black star, tsubaki,Sid,dr stein,maka, and spirit.**

Maka: Roll call just in case we forgot anyone.

**They all get there every one looked at spirit with all the blood from medusa.**

Maka: …we're not even going to ask, are we?

**Spirit tells lord death what medusa knows Lord death says bring her here**

Maka: No, no we're not…

**Lord death tells dr stein, sid, maka, crona,soul,kid,Liz,patty,black star and tsubaki that they need to make shore no one opens the yes**

Crona: …no one opens the yes? …what?

Maka: *shrug* I don't even know how to work with that one…

**lord death they replied the battle went on for hours**

Maka: Not that we'll actually show you, because that would require, you know, effort!

**the dwma broke and fell apart they retreated to the death room there was only young misters and weapons medusa in side the death room to from being was on the floor in pain REPER CHOP said lord death Hitting medusas head AHHHHHHH that's all every body heard. Maka,crona,soul,kid,Liz,patty,black star and tsubaki ran in as arachne, mosquito, giriko and the keshin.**

Crona: …why is this person making the Reaper Chop seem like torture too?

Maka: And why did it say we went in there when we already did once? And why is the Kishin there too? And why do we need to ask so many questions?

**arachne says if you stop now we will let you live. Maka says we will never stop arachne says ow I thought medusa died that's a shame I geese we will have to do that**

**Medusa gets free from the chains mosquito and giriko where going to attack medusa when she says vector arrow hitting mosquito flying him into girikos blade cutting mosquito into tiny parts blood splats every where. she sees his head trying to escape vector arrows 1000s of arrows stab is head killing him for good. Giriko said finally I thought I would have to do that.**

Maka: Oh shut up, Giriko. No one likes you.

Ragnarok: And technically, he did. The excessive blood and gore is proof of that.

**Lord death had death scythe and went up and attacked Medusa and arachne fight the students can't do any thing with out geting killed. Lord death and the keshin are neck and neck when every one hears a huge thud the keshin has bin kicked down we see lord death going down we hear him say keshin hunter we see a different colored scythe hi the keshin dead in the center killing him for good.**

Maka: Behold the power of the anti-climax!

**Lord death tells arachne to give up you lost she sees maka death the kid and crona she looks at them and shoots some acid thread**

Maka: What, no Black*Star?

**All every one hears is vector plate Medusa gets hit but saving crona kid and maka. Medusa falls to the floor in lot of pain they would have never thought in 1000 years would medusa give her life for cronas.**

Maka: …wait, what?

Crona: …

**arachne looks up sees lord death cut her in half. Medusa says crona I love you sorry I never told you that. Medusa starts to vomit blood nonstop. Looks at crona and gives a huge smile before Medusa tern into a floating pink orb. Crona just sits there looking maka comes over and hugs crona.**

Ragnarok: …did that just happen?

Maka: Apparently…

Crona: …I…you…what…?

**As arachnophobia retreated giriko left quickly before being killed Crona looks at the orb that had a snake going around it. Crona stayed still for a few hours after every one left. Maka says to crona you need to. Eat**

Maka: Interrupting. Period.

**let's go Crona still standing still Maka asked what is wrong. Crona said that was the first time she said I love you to me.**

Crona: *twitch*

Maka: …*hugs Crona*

**Crona gets up to the mirror and asks lord death what to do with his mothers soul he said what ever you want She asks him if he could put it in the death room and put a little memorial. Lord death says yes normally I would say no to a witch but after what she did she deserves it and in-since I can't say thank you to her this a way. she will be in a better place trust me. and she will be right next to my mirror. Crona looked happy and said could we Do that when I get back Lord death says yes also I will get maka and death the kid. Crona ok The gang got to gether and maka said I'm sorry a bout your mom Crona says mo lady medusa told me that she loved me. Maka and told crona they thought they were going to die but at the last second she saved us. Crona says im putting her in the death room in a shrine for her. Every on smiled**

Ragnarok: So is there a reason you needed to repeat all of that back to us? I get that _you're_ slow as fuck, but that doesn't mean we are!

Maka: Target audience?

Ragnarok: …oh yeah.

**LATER THAT DAY**

**In the death room lord death says she was evil at first but she gave something that is worth more then all the experiments in the world. She gave her life to save my son kid maka and crona**

Maka: Ohhhh, that's why you had Kid there. So Lord Death would actually want to be nice to her. It's almost like you were just randomly trying to make her look good without any explanation at all!

**sow we say bye for now but when we die to we can say thank you but till that day come we put her soul in the ground say good bye for now and put this shrine on the stand with a picture to never forget her. Crona smiled shed a tear and says god bye they all leave and get ready to fix death city after the attack.**

**Sorry if realy bad it is my first. RaR**

Maka: We knew that already, and you made that pretty clear. And quit roaring at us, you're not even slightly intimidating.

/

The lights slowly came back on as Maka stared at the screen, unsure of how to react.

On the one hand, it was Medusa. In Maka's eyes, if anyone deserved to be locked up in a dungeon cell and be beaten with something hard and made of metal, it was her. She often fantasized about doing such a thing, much to her embarrassment. But now that she had actually seen it happen, it didn't seem right.

Not to mention that it was in an attempt to make the reader feel sorry for her. Under most circumstances, if it was anyone else, Maka would probably feel sorry for them. But, it was Medusa, and Maka just couldn't bring herself to care.

That bothered her quite a bit.

She let out a sigh, deciding it would be better to just voice her thoughts on the matter.

"Alright…I get that I was supposed to look at what happened as a bad thing…and I understand that it was." Maka explained. "But…I am not going to feel sympathy for Medusa. It just can't happen. She has done far too many terrible things to people that I care about for me to even consider forgiving her. And for anyone else to think that she should be sympathized with is sheer lunacy."

Maka paused for a second, before continuing. "But you didn't even try to make her sympathetic. All you did was start hitting her with something and turn to us and say "see how hurt she is? Don't you feel sorry for her yet?" Not to mention the fact that you made my dad the one to torture her. You've pretty much already failed when you make _him_ look worse than her! If you want to turn a villain good, you need to make it convincing. You need to make us believe that it makes sense. This wasn't that at all."

She then stopped, turning to look at Crona, wondering if he had anything to add.

She frowned when she saw the blank expression on his face. He was simply staring at the screen, not showing any sort of emotion at all.

She thought of what happened last time and was immediately worried.

"Crona…?" she cautiously asked.

Thankfully, this time Crona blinked and turned to look at her, seemingly as though he had come out of a daze.

"Y-Yes?"

Maka gave a small sigh of relief, before staring directly into Crona's eyes.

"Tell me the truth. Are you OK?"

Crona blinked in surprise, not expecting Maka to be so forward. He stared at her for a few seconds before responding.

"…yes."

A small smile came onto his face, which Maka hadn't been expecting.

"I'm OK, Maka…really, I am."

Maka frowned, some part of her not entirely convinced that Crona was telling the truth. All the same, she decided it'd be best to not push it.

"Alright."

With that, the two of them got up and started heading up the stairs, hand-in-hand.

Crona's mind was surprisingly clear. He had been presented with a possibility that he never dreamed of considering. The possibility of his mother being forgiven for her actions. Of her deserving to be forgiven. And for it to come so quickly after last time told him that it was his first real test.

It was one that he already passed. He knew how to react to this.

/

As always, I have no idea why this took so goddamned long. I could blame a lot of things, but it all comes back to me. So, sorry everyone.

Just so you know, there will be a follow-up aside chapter to this, so stay tuned.

Suggestions and fanmail are welcome, as are the aforementioned gifts. Just keep what I said in mind.

Until next time.


	29. Motherhood

Alright, here's the promised follow-up aside chapter to the previous review.

As of this writing, I don't know how long it's going to be. Probably not very, but it depends on how things will go. I hope you enjoy.

Away we go.

/

Crona didn't understand why some people hated the snow.

It was very pleasant to look at. Watching the white, fluffy flakes float gently to the ground was very soothing for him. He also enjoyed listening to the crunching sounds it made when he walked in it, and he'd seen a lot of kids out playing in it. Making snow angels, building snowmen, having snowball fights, and so on. If they could enjoy the snow, why couldn't everyone?

However, now that Crona had put some thought into it, perhaps it wasn't the snow so much as what came with it that people didn't like.

"Eeeeeegh! Man, it's freezing out here!"

Crona winced slightly as his companion for the time being turned and gave him a curious look.

"Crona, aren't you cold dressed like that?"

"I-I'm OK, Mr. Albarn…"

Crona didn't really want to explain why all he had added to his usual attire was a white scarf. Seeing as how Ragnarok could regulate the black blood himself, he never had to worry about feeling too cold. Though he wasn't really sure he wanted to discuss that with Spirit, especially since he was covered in about four different coats.

Crona never really liked to admit it, but he was more than a little intimidated by Spirit. Sure, Maka had told him that he was pretty much harmless, but it didn't change the fact that he was _the_ Death Scythe. Not a Death Scythe, like Marie or Soul, but the one personally chosen by Lord Death himself to be his weapon. There had to be a reason behind that, even if Spirit didn't seem like the right choice.

More importantly to Crona, of course, was the fact that he was Maka's father. They may not be on the best of terms, but that still meant something. And considering how fiercely overprotective Spirit was, Crona wanted to at least try to get on his good side.

Though, dragging Spirit out to Ukraine may not have been the best way to do that.

"So…you sure you want to do this?" Spirit asked.

"Y-Yes, I'm sure, sir…" Crona answered. "I just thought it'd be a good idea to…have someone come along, just in case…"

"I get that this is important to you and all, but…no offense, but you're not exactly a popular guy around here, Crona…"

Sadly, Spirit was right. Crona had already noticed a few people deliberately avoiding him as the two of them walked through the village. One or two of them had expression of total fear on their faces. Clearly, many of them still remembered him from the last time he had "visited".

Crona couldn't blame them.

"And not that I'm complaining or anything…" Spirit continued, (even Crona could tell that this was a blatant lie) "But why me? Don't you usually get Stein to go along with you on these things?"

"…I don't want him to know I'm here." Crona answered.

That was partially true. It wasn't so much that he didn't _want_ Stein to know that he was there, but more that he thought it wasn't such a good idea. Considering how his little plan could go wrong, Stein would be in serious danger if he was there.

Spirit gave him a suspicious look, but shrugged. "OK, whatever, but that still doesn't explain why it had to be me. Why not Sid, or Azusa? I mean, Maka would make more sense than me. I hardly know you."

_That's sort of the problem…_ Crona thought.

"Well, OK, I know _of_ you, of course." Spirit continued. "And I know that you're a close friend of my daughter…a very close friend, in fact…"

_Oh crap._ Crona quickly realized that this might not have been the best idea.

Spirit crossed his arms, eyeing Crona. "Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you two without each other at all lately…it makes me wonder what exactly is going on…"

Crona looked ahead, surprised that he was thankful at what he saw.

"Mr. Albarn, we're here…"

Spirit rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, I'm not going to fall for that one-"

"N-No, really, we're here."

Spirit looked up at what Crona was looking at, blinking slightly in surprise.

The dilapidated house looked as though it had been there for generations, and had earned something of a reputation among the locals as a haunted house. Which naturally made it the perfect hideout for any criminals or other ne'er-do-wells.

Crona was perfectly aware of that, of course.

"…this is it, huh?" Spirit said.

"Yeah…this is it…" Crona responded.

"…you know that she's probably dead and gone, right?"

"I know, sir… but I have to do this. …I have to move on."

Spirit stared at Crona in mild surprise, before looking back at the house.

"…guess that explains why you didn't want Stein to come along…"

He then sighed, placing his hands in his pockets.

"Alright. Go do what you have to do. I'll be out here if you need me."

Crona looked at Spirit, surprised that he was so eager to help out. He then gave a small, polite nod.

"Thank you, sir…"

He then turned and marched towards the house, soon stopping in front of the door. He gave a short exhale of breath, before opening it and stepping inside.

The main room looked almost exactly the same as it did when Crona last saw it, all those months ago. The table and chairs were exactly as Crona left them, though someone had removed the food that he had left behind. The beds at the back were left untouched, and the curtains were still pulled over the windows, covering the room in darkness.

There was still a large stain on the wall, covering most of his drawings. It had faded in colour since that day, but it still gave the wall an unnatural tinge.

Some part of Crona almost expected to find Medusa's body still there. He wasn't sure why, but it made him nervous that it wasn't.

He walked forward, stopping in front of the chair he had sat in on that fateful day. He placed his hands on the back, leaning against it.

After a few seconds of silence, a low gurgling noise was heard as Ragnarok uncurled from Crona's back.

"Hey." he whispered. "You sure this is such a good idea?"

Crona sighed. "Ragnarok, I told you, I have to do this."

"Yeah, I know, but this isn't really safe, is it? I mean…we don't know where she is."

Crona stared down at the table, not responding.

"Look, all I'm saying is that she could still be around here." Ragnarok explained. "You know how slippery she is. She could've done that whole "soul fragmentation" thing she did before and is just lying in wait here."

"And she could also have escaped and is hiding somewhere else." Crona added. "I know…believe me, I've thought of this…"

"…and you still want to do this?"

Crona frowned, looking back at Ragnarok.

"This has to end. I'm tired of her hanging over my head like this. I can't keep living my life thinking she's going to come back and ruin things again. I have to move on."

Ragnarok stared at Crona for a few seconds, before nodding in reply.

"Yeah, you're right…but I'm gonna stay out here, just in case."

Crona smiled slightly, then looked away from Ragnarok. He looked into the darkness of the room, carefully studying the area.

Ragnarok was right in that she could be lying in wait. Perhaps this was another trap of hers, lulling Crona into a false sense of security before returning yet again. Or maybe she was too weak to actively attack again, and she was waiting for him to return due to having no other choice.

Whatever the case, Crona knew that it didn't really matter.

No matter what, this had to be done.

"…I don't know if you're here or not…" Crona whispered. "If you are…then I want you to listen."

He straightened up, no longer leaning on the chair.

"…fifteen years. For fifteen years, I lived with you. I followed you. I did whatever you asked of me, no matter how horrible it was, or how much I didn't want to do it. I obeyed everything you said for what was my entire life. And I thought that that was supposed to be love…"

Crona paused, taking a second to gather his thoughts, before continuing.

"But that wasn't love. Because you never showed me anything that could be considered that. We weren't mother and child. We were master and slave. I was a weapon to you, an object. Less than human. You never really explained to me what love was supposed to be, but somehow I knew…you weren't showing me love."

Crona pulled back a bit, moving a little closer to the door.

"But you knew I wanted that. You knew how badly I wanted love. So you constantly baited me with the idea that I would finally get it from you. Over and over again, until I eventually gave up on the idea. I thought that there was no chance of me ever experiencing what motherly love is supposed to be…"

He glared instinctively into the darkness, remembering what he was about to say.

"And then, when I had given up…you used that against me. You knew I had reached the point where I gave up hope. So when you did finally show me love…you knew I would react the way I did…"

He shivered slightly, remembering what had happened.

"…but that wasn't love either. That was just an act. That wasn't real. It was all just part of your plan to make me a Kishin…because that's the only reason I was born…"

Crona didn't see Ragnarok give him a sympathetic look.

"…I now know what love is supposed to be. And it wasn't because of you. It was thanks to the people you were training me to fight against. They showed me what love is, and it wasn't what you did for me. You wouldn't even let me call you mother…"

Crona took a quick breath, preparing himself for the next bit.

"…so, I won't."

He stared into the darkness, hoping he at least seemed confident.

"I no longer consider you my mother."

He waited for something to react to what he said. When nothing happened, he continued.

"A mother is supposed to take care of her child. She's supposed to nurture them, raise them so that they can survive on their own. All you did was keep me alive, so that I could fulfill whatever purpose you had in mind for me. You made it so that you were the only one I could rely on, even if I didn't want to. …but things are different now."

He turned, facing the door.

"I don't need you anymore."

There was still no reaction from the darkness, so Crona continued.

"The people back in Death City…they're my friends. They care for me, and I care for them back. That place is my home now. You are not important to me anymore. All you are is another enemy. And, if you are still alive, if you threaten them, I will kill you. Not because of who you are, but because you're a threat. That's all."

Crona took a few steps forward, heading back to the door.

Once he reached it, he put his hand on the doorknob. He paused, wondering if he should say what else was on his mind.

It was a bold declaration to make. Not that he hadn't already been plenty bold as it was, but this was potentially world-changing. Still, he had come this far, so he may as well keep going.

"…I made a decision that you might want to hear."

He turned his head, looking back into the room.

"I want to end the war between the witches and the meisters."

Crona didn't notice Ragnarok's eyes widening in surprise.

"…I don't even know how I'm going to start, but I thought you should know that. …maybe that's why you did what you did to me. So that I could end the war and rule over what was left, as the Kishin. You see, that's what's been the most difficult part of this. The fact that I don't know _why_. Why you ever thought to do any of this to your own son…"

Crona sighed, his expression hardening again.

"But it doesn't matter now. I didn't make that choice because _you_ wanted me to. I made it because _I_ wanted to."

He paused, still expecting a reaction from something in the room.

When nothing happened, he decided to properly finish.

"That's all I have to say…so if you're going to try to stop me, now's the time."

He glanced at Ragnarok, who readied himself to transform at a moment's notice.

The two of them stared into the darkness of the room, anxiously waiting for something to happen. Crona could feel Ragnarok gripping onto his shoulder, and realized he was doing the same to the doorknob.

A few seconds passed, the tension growing even more. Crona almost wished Medusa would appear, if only to finally confirm his suspicions. If only to make him stop fretting over if and when she would strike next.

A few more seconds, and Crona breathed a small sigh of relief. If Medusa was there, she would've made her move by now. Wherever Medusa was, she wasn't here.

Maybe she really was dead and gone. Maybe she was recovering somewhere far away from here. Maybe she was hiding somewhere else, waiting for Crona to return so she could strike.

Whatever the case was, Crona would deal with it when the time came.

He opened the door and stepped outside, never to return to that house.

/

Crona carefully raised a hand and rapped his knuckles on the door three times, before pulling back and placing both hands behind him.

There was silence for a few seconds, before Crona heard footsteps coming towards the door.

It slowly swung open as Marie peeked her head out from behind it.

"Oh! Crona!" she exclaimed, walking out from behind the door. "I wasn't expecting you today."

Crona fidgeted slightly, giving a small nod as an answer.

Marie tilted her head. "Crona? Is everything OK?"

Crona looked away, face flushing slightly.

"U-Um…I-I just heard about it today, so I didn't really know what to do…b-but I still wanted to do something, so…"

He then pulled his hands out from behind his back, holding a bouquet of assorted flowers out in front of him.

"…happy birthday, Marie."

Marie's eyes widened in surprise, before a smile appeared on her face as she took the flowers from Crona.

"Oh, Crona…these are lovely!"

She placed the flowers close to her face and gently inhaled, taking in the pleasant scent. She then moved the bouquet away to happily reach forward and hug Crona.

"Thank you so much!"

Crona blushed while hugging Marie back. "Y-You're welcome…"

The two pulled away from the other, Marie smiling warmly at Crona.

"D-Do you really like them…?" Crona asked.

"Oh yes, I love them!" Marie eagerly answered.

"W-Well, it's just…I didn't know what you wanted for your birthday, so I just got those…"

Marie sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Crona, your lesson for the day!"

"H-Huh?"

"It's not the gift, but the thought that counts."

Crona tilted his head as Marie leaned forward to look at him.

"I'm happy that you thought to get me something, so I'm not all that worried about what you got me. Because you cared enough to get me a gift, I'm thankful. You see?"

Crona stared at Marie for a few seconds, then slowly nodded in understanding.

"Y-Yes…"

Marie smiled again, before putting an arm around Crona's shoulders and leading him inside.

"I'm going to put these in some water. Then I'll make some tea for us, OK?"

Crona nodded, his face heating up again.

Even though it had been a rather small gift, just the fact that Marie wore a huge smile on her face, and was clearly so happy at the gesture…

Crona couldn't help but smile himself at how good it felt.

/

OK, kind of a corny end, but whatever.

Next review will come soon. See you then!


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